Nutrient Cycling in Australian Savannas

Abstract

Because Australian savannas generally occur on redistribution of termite mound materials is a process soils that are nutrient deficient, their productivity is depenwhich can supply the infertile surface soil with a nutrient dent upon the rapid recycling of nutrients locked up in the enriched soil amendment plant biomass. Soil microorganisms play a major role in the Fire is also an active agent in nutrient cycling in some decomposition of organic matter and cycling of nutrients in savanna systems. The ecological advantage of this mechasavannas, but their activity is restricted to the wet season. nism of nutrient cycling is maintained only if losses by Termites are widespread in the dry tropics of the world volatilization and atmospheric dispersion are balanced by and exert a significant effect on nutrient cycling. The other inputs. results of studies in the Townsville region of north Queensland suggest that termites might be responsible for up to