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Potential impact of climate change on termite distribution in Africa

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Title Potential impact of climate change on termite distribution in Africa
 
Creator Shiday BMA
Nkunika POY
Sileshi, Gudeta W.
French JRJ
Nyeko P
Jain S
 
Subject agriculture
climate
isoptera
animal behaviour
 
Description Termites (Order: Isoptera) constitute an integral component of various ecosystems in Africa. Termites are also amongst the most difficult insects to study because of their cryptic behaviour and natural nesting habitat. There are around 2600 species of termites in 280 genera which have been described worldwide and about 39% of the total termite species are found in Africa. Termite identification is crucial to understanding termite distribution and their relationship to climate change. Some termite species are well known pests of agricultural crops, forest trees, wood products and timber-in-service causing considerable damage in Africa. This review paper attempts to collate information on African termite distribution and climate change and highlights some knowledge gaps. Africa is the origin of the termite family of Macrotermitinae. The paper focuses more on economically important termite species in Africa. The use of traditional identification methods coupled with molecular techniques in resolving some of the challenges in termite distribution with particular reference to climate change in Africa are discussed. There is scant information on published literature on the impact of climate change on termites with particular reference to termite distribution in Africa. However there is anectodal evidence to suggest that African termite species will be affected by changes in the local and global climate.
 
Date 2011
2014-08-15T12:13:22Z
2014-08-15T12:13:22Z
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Shiday BMA, Nkunika POY, Sileshi GW, French JRJ, Nyeko P, Jain S. 2011. Potential impact of climate change on termite distribution in Africa. British Journal of Environment and Climate Change 1(4):172-189.
2231-4784
https://hdl.handle.net/10568/42075
https://doi.org/10.9734/BJECC/2011/561
 
Language en
 
Rights Open Access
 
Format p. 172-189
 
Publisher Sciencedomain International
 
Source British Journal of Environment and Climate Change