TERMITE MOUNDS CAN PREVENT DESERTIFICATION
Corina E. Tarnita
Desertification due to: overgrazing; climate change
Sudden switch to desert; hard to recover
Decreasing rainfall
Increasing rainfall
Rainfall (mm day-1)
Veg
etat
ion
bio
mas
s (g
m-2)
Termite mounds are islands of fertile vegetation
In Laikipia: black cotton soil termites
Termites:
Improve nutrients on mounds
Allow water to infiltrate better
Decreasing rainfall
Increasing rainfall
Ve
ge
tati
on
bio
mas
s (
g m
-2)
Rainfall (mm day-1)
No mounds
With mounds
Thank you!