Abundance and biomass of termites (Insecta: Isoptera) in dead wood in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand

Abstract

The abundance and biomass of termites in dead wood were estimated in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand. Litter and dead wood were collected within ten 2 x 2 m quadrats on a 100 m transect, and then all termites in the litter and dead wood (= termites in dead wood) were dislodged. The biomass of litter and dead wood was 2.50 kg (dry weight) m - 2 , of which 76% was represented by dead wood with a diameter of ≥ 1 cm. A total of 239 pieces of dead wood (diameter ≥ 1 cm) were collected, and 38 of them contained termites. The frequency of termites in dead wood was significantly different between pieces with a diameter of 1-5 cm and pieces with a diameter of ≥ 5 cm. The abundance and biomass of termites in dead wood were 1269 termites m - 2 and 3.53 g m - 2 , respectively. A total of 11 species, comprising Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, were collected; all of them belonged to the wood/litter-feeding group. Using our previous estimation for termites in the soil and data from other studies, the abundance and biomass of termites in the dry evergreen forest were estimated to be 7794 termites m - 2 and 16.7 g m - 2 , of which 16 and 21%, respectively.