Importance Of Ants And Termites In Soil

Ants

Nearly 9000 species of soil inhabiting ants have been identified. They occur in many climates, being most diverse in the humid tropics, but are perhaps most functionally prominent in temperate semiarid grasslands. Different ant species typify different tropic levels in soil food webs, some acting as detritivores, others as herbivores and still others as predators.

Ants - Importance of Ants - Soil Biology - Soil fertility

Many species build mounds and underground tunnels somewhat similar to those of termites described in the following paragraphs. Ant nest building activity can improve soil aeration, increase water infiltration, modify soil pH. Some ants feed on the sugary fluid produced by aphids as these sucking insects attack higher plants. The ants may raise the aphids in their nest while they feed o plant sap. Although ants occur more widely than termites and may play ecological roles that are more vaired, the termites have been much more intensively studied.

Ants - Soil Engineers - Soil Ecosystem

Termites

Diversity and Distribution

Termites are sometimes called white ants, although they are quite distinct from ants. Termites are major contributors to breakdown of organic matter at the soil surface. There are about 2000 species of termites. Perhaps the most infamous of the termites are those that invade the woodwork of houses built without protective metal termite shields. The species build protective soil tunnels, which enable them to return to the soil for their daily water supply. Termite inspectors look for these earthen tunnels running up foundation walls under a house indicate an infestation.

Termites are found in about two third of the land areas of the world but are most prominent in grasslands and forests of tropical and subtropical areas. Their activity is on a scale comparable to that of earthworms. Up to 16 million termites have been recorded in 1 hectare of tropical deciduous forest.

Termite- Mounds - Soil Science - Soil Biology - Landscience.blogspot

Mound building activities

Termites are social animals that live in very complex labyrinths of nests, passages and chambers that they build both below and above the surface. Termite mounds build from soil particles cemented with saliva are characteristic features of many landscapes in Africa, Latin America, Australia and Asia. These mounds and the network of underground passages and above ground covered runways that  typically spreads 20 to 30 m beyond the mounds, are essential termite cities. Although a few species eat living woody plants and sound deadwood, most termites eat rotting woody materials and plant residues.

In building their mounds, termites transport soil from lower layers to the surface, thereby extensively mixing the soil and incorporating into it the plant resides they use as food. They also move 300 to 1200 kg/ha of soil in their mound building annually. These activities have significant impacts on soil formation, as well as on current soil fertility and productivity.
Depending on the species and environmental conditions, termites may build mounds 6 m or more in height and may extend them to an even greater depth into the soil in search of water or clay layers. Each mound provides a home for 1 million or more termites.

Termite mounds - Soil Science - Soil microbiology