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Gosling CM, Cromsigt JP, Mpanza N, et al. Effects of Erosion from Mounds of Different Termite Genera on Distinct Functional Grassland Types in an African Savannah. Ecosystems. 2011;15(1):128-139doi: 10.1007/s10021-011-9497-8.
Gosling, C. M., Cromsigt, J. P., Mpanza, N., & Olff, H. (2012). Effects of Erosion from Mounds of Different Termite Genera on Distinct Functional Grassland Types in an African Savannah. Ecosystems (New York, N.Y.), 15(1), 128-139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9497-8
Gosling, Cleo M, et al. "Effects of Erosion from Mounds of Different Termite Genera on Distinct Functional Grassland Types in an African Savannah." Ecosystems (New York, N.Y.) vol. 15,1 (2012): 128-139. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-011-9497-8
Gosling CM, Cromsigt JP, Mpanza N, Olff H. Effects of Erosion from Mounds of Different Termite Genera on Distinct Functional Grassland Types in an African Savannah. Ecosystems. 2012;15(1):128-139. doi: 10.1007/s10021-011-9497-8. Epub 2011 Nov 02. PMID: 25983634; PMCID: PMC4423950.
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Ecosystems. 2012;15(1):128-139. doi: 10.1007/s10021-011-9497-8. Epub 2011 Nov 02.

Effects of Erosion from Mounds of Different Termite Genera on Distinct Functional Grassland Types in an African Savannah.

Ecosystems (New York, N.Y.)

Cleo M Gosling, Joris P G M Cromsigt, Nokukhanya Mpanza, Han Olff

Affiliations

  1. Community and Conservation Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands ; Leopard Ecology and Conservation, Private Bag BR 7, Gaborone, Botswana.
  2. Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo Norway.
  3. Scientific Services, Kruger National Park, South African National Parks, Skukuza, 1350 South Africa.
  4. Community and Conservation Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands.

PMID: 25983634 PMCID: PMC4423950 DOI: 10.1007/s10021-011-9497-8

Abstract

A key aspect of savannah vegetation heterogeneity is mosaics formed by two functional grassland types, bunch grasslands, and grazing lawns. We investigated the role of termites, important ecosystem engineers, in creating high-nutrient patches in the form of grazing lawns. Some of the ways termites can contribute to grazing lawn development is through erosion of soil from aboveground mounds to the surrounding soil surface. This may alter the nutrient status of the surrounding soils. We hypothesize that the importance of this erosion varies with termite genera, depending on feeding strategy and mound type. To test this, we simulated erosion by applying mound soil from three termite genera (

Keywords: Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park; Macrotermitinae; Nasutitermitinae; bunch grass; ecosystem engineers; heterogeneity; lawn grass; mound erosion; savannah; termites

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