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Dispersion and abundance of Macrotermes michaelseni colonies: a limited role for intraspecific competition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

Gregor Schuurman  and
J. Mark Dangerfield
Gregor Schuurman
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Botswana, Private Bag 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
J. Mark Dangerfield
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Botswana, Private Bag 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
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Abstract

The position of Macrotermes michaelseni mounds were mapped in six areas of 1.5 to 31.0 ha in a range of habitats on the fringes of the Okavango delta. Abundance varied significantly between and within habitats with highest densities in relatively stable floodplain woodland. In all sites apparent overdispersion of active mounds was not statistically significant when edge effects were taken into account. When active and inactive mounds were combined some overdispersion was seen but due to the disturbance regime the probability of all mounds being active simultaneously was small. Intraspecific competition was, therefore, not considered likely. Our results and reanalyses of dispersion patterns in published accounts for Macrotermes species suggest that although mound dispersion can appear to be regular this is probably a result of historical precedence and chance events rather than any current density-dependent process.

Keywords

disturbancefood availabilityinundationhabitat variability
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 39 - 49
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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