@article{fdi:010086814,
  title = {{T}ermite bioturbation : fungal versus non-fungal building strategies lead to different soil sheeting stability},
  author = {{J}ouquet, {P}ascal and {H}arit, {A}. and {B}ottinelli, {N}icolas and {E}ldridge, {D}. {J}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{U}nderstanding how soil fauna impact soil aggregate dynamics remains a critical issue in soil science, especially because of the influence on soil aggregate stability on key ecological and environmental processes. {T}his question is even more crucial in tropical countries, where soils are particularly vulnerable to erosion. {I}n many tropical environments, soil bioturbation is mostly carried out by termites. {B}ased on their different building strategies, termites are usually differentiated into two functional groups: the fungus growing ({FG}) and non-fungus growing termites (non-{FG}). {I}n this study, we focused on the properties of soil sheeting, i.e., small sized soil aggregates that are built on the ground or on plant materials by termites. {U}sing partial least squares structural equation modeling ({PLS}-{SEM}), we showed that the stability of non-{FG} sheeting was associated with the properties of the surrounding soil, thus suggesting (i) a low ability or need of termites to adapt the stability of their sheeting to their biotic and abiotic environments, (ii) a rapid turnover of the organic matter incorporated by non-{FG}, which is only superficially incorporated into soil aggregates. {T}he sheeting of {FG} termites was generally enriched in clay and impoverished in carbon. {H}owever, despite changes in soil properties, {PLS}-{SEM} did not satisfactorily account for sheeting stability (i.e., no direct or indirect path correlations between the stability of soil sheeting and the other measured variables). {T}herefore, this study suggested a reorganization of soil aggregates and an adaptation of sheeting properties to the environment with a positive impact of termites on soil sheeting stability restricted to semi-arid to arid environments (mean annual precipitation <500 mm year-1), in agro-ecological biotopes, and when sheeting covered leaves in comparison to wood. {H}ence building strategies between {FG} and non-{FG} termites can have functional consequences in terms of soil aggregate stability in tropical soils.},
  keywords = {{S}oil aggregate dynamics ; {T}ropical soils ; {F}unctional groups ; {E}cosystem engineers ; {F}ungus -growing termites ; {ZONE} {TROPICALE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{S}oil {B}iology and {B}iochemistry},
  volume = {176},
  numero = {},
  pages = {108868 [7 p.]},
  ISSN = {0038-0717},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.1016/j.soilbio.2022.108868},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010086814},
}