Nutrient loading of a forest soil

Summary During July 1988 rooted and non-rooted experimental chambers were established in a Norway spruce (Picea abies. Karst) stand in south Devon U.K. Replicates were supplemented with ammonium and nitrate. The leachates were analysed to monitor the release of mineral-N species and cations over the 17-week experimental period. Ammonium treatments leached 300% more calcium and magnesium than controls. The onset of nitrification resulted in a decrease in sodium losses from ammonium treatments reflecting a decrease in the exchanging capacity of the soil solution. These results are discussed in relation to mineral ion leaching in soils subjected to increesed N-loading, and the ability of soils to buffer these perturbations.     

Model of ammonia volatilization from calcareous soils

A quantitative model of ammonia volatilization from the calcareous soil uppermost 1-cm layer was developed and tested. The model accounts for the following processes: ammonium-ammonia equilibration in the soil solution, cation exchange between calcium and ammonium which results in ammonium distribution between soil liquid and solid phases, nitrification of dissolved ammonium, distribution of ammonia between liquid and gaseous phases and diffusion of gaseous ammonia in the soil air. The combined effect of various characteristics such as soil pH, cation exchange capacity, water capacity and nitrification rate on ammonia losses from various soil types have been studied. The model was validated against experimental results of ammonia losses from different soils for its use as a predicting tool. The model shows that most of ammonia losses can be explained by the interactive effect of high soil pH and low cation exchange capacity. Computations show increased ammonia volatilization with decreasing soil water capacity. Increasing fertilizer application rate has a small effect on percentage of ammonia losses. Increased nitrification rate and shorter “lag” period of nitrification reduce ammonia losses considerably. Good agreement was obtained between model calculations and experimental results of ammonia volatilization from 13 soils.     

外加氮源对杉木叶凋落物分解及土壤养分淋失的影响

采用原位（Ｉｎ ｓｉｔｕ）模拟实验方法研究了外加Ｎ源对杉木叶凋落物分解及土壤养分淋失的影响,结果表明,施加ＮＨ＾＋４－Ｎ时,杉木叶凋落物的失重率与对照（未加任何Ｎ的处理）相比,没有差异：而施加ＮＯ＾－１－Ｎ时,使杉木叶凋落物分解速率显著提高（ｐ＝０．０５,达１０％以上,与施加ＮＨ＾＋４－Ｎ相比,施加ＮＯ＾－３－Ｎ明显促进了杉木叶凋落物的分解（ｐ＝０．０５）。施加ＮＨ＾＋４－Ｎ和ＮＯ３＾－－Ｎ会产生     

滨海盐渍农田土壤硝化势特征及其影响因素

明确滨海盐渍农田土壤的硝化能力,探究土壤环境中影响硝化过程的主要因子,对调控农田土壤硝化作用和提高氮肥利用率具有重要意义。通过野外调查和室内分析相结合的方法,研究了滨海淤泥质滩涂盐渍区域(东营市和东台市)农田土壤硝化势和土壤物理、化学、生物学性质,运用多元逐步回归分析和结构方程模型(SEM)建立了土壤性质与土壤硝化势的相关关系。结果表明:滨海盐渍农田土壤除pH值较稳定外,其他土壤性质和土壤硝化势变化差异较大。土壤硝化势范围为0.04～10.42 mg·kg^-1·d^-1,随土壤盐渍化程度增加而降低。相关分析表明,土壤硝化势与土壤有机质、阳离子交换量和Cl^-的相关性最强,相关系数分别为0.409、0.397和-0.337;而多元逐步回归分析表明,Na⁺、粉粒、阳离子交换量、CO₃^2-+HCO₃^-为土壤硝化势的主要影响因子。SEM分析结果表明,Na⁺、粉粒、阳离子交换量、CO₃^2-+HCO₃^-为影响土壤硝化势的直接因子,有机质、黏粒、Cl^-、SO₄^2-为影响土壤硝化势的间接因子。总之,土壤Na⁺和阳离子交换量是影响硝化作用的两个主要因素,在该区域调控土壤NaCl含量和阳离子交换量为调节土壤硝化过程的有效手段。     

不同改良剂对珊瑚砂理化性质和氮素固持的影响

高碱环境和土壤养分的匮乏严重限制了我国热带珊瑚岛土壤环境下植物的生长适应能力,因此,珊瑚砂改良对促进珊瑚岛植被恢复,维持珊瑚岛生态环境可持续健康发展具有重要意义。该研究通过室内土柱模拟试验,对比了同一梯度下4种常用土壤改良材料(蛭石、珍珠岩、生物炭和钙基膨润土)对珊瑚砂理化性质、氮素淋溶以及总氮含量的影响。结果表明,与对照(CK)相比,施用生物炭使珊瑚砂pH显著降低1.4%,钙基膨润土、生物炭和蛭石能够显著提高珊瑚砂的阳离子交换量至CK的24.21、10.43和9.43倍。同时,施用生物炭、钙基膨润土和蛭石并不能降低以硝态氮形式为主的氮素淋失,但是能显著减少其他途径的氮素损失,从而达到促进珊瑚砂氮素固持的效果,3种改良剂施用下的珊瑚砂总氮损失相较于CK分别降低了40.92%、27.32%和25.09%。因此,施用生物炭、钙基膨润土和蛭石均能有效提高珊瑚砂土壤质量,对改良珊瑚砂和热带珊瑚岛植被恢复具有重要意义,其中生物炭的改良效果最为显著,是改良珊瑚砂的理想材料。     

The effect of regeneration burning upon the nutrient status of soil in two forest types in southern Tasmania

In two forest types in southern Tasmania, eucalypt rainforest (mixed forest) and eucalypt dry sclerophyll forest, surface soils (0–10 cm) from stands that had been clear-felled and burned between 1976 and 1979 were compared with those from uncut, unburned stands. Factors compared were total organic C, N, P, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Mn; pH; exchangeable Ca, Mg, and K; cation exchange capacity; extractable P; soil phosphate buffering capacity; and N-mineralisation rates. Sampling started in April 1979 and ended in October 1980. Within each forest type, soils from burned coupes had higher mean values for pH, exchangeable cations, percent base saturation, and nitrate-N produced during aerobic incubation, and had lower mean values for exchangeable acidity and ammonium-N produced during aerobic incubation than soils from unburned coupes. In mixed forest only, soils from burned coupes had higher mean values for extractable P and soil phosphate buffering capacity, and lower mean values for total organic C than those of unburned coupes. There were only small differences between burned and unburned soils in cation exchange capacity and ammonium-N produced during anaerobic incubation. For each burned coupe in mixed forest, with increase in time since burning there was a decrease in pH, an increase in exchangeable acidity, and a decrease in rate of production of nitrate: no changes were detected in other factors. It is concluded that, for clay soils developed on dolerite, the nutritional status of soil in both forest types is probably improved by burning. The improvement lasts for more than 4 years in mixed forest and more than two years in dry sclerophyll forest. Only minor leaching of nutrients to below 10 cm in depth is likely to occur in either type.     

Nitrogen Fixation and Leaching of Biological Soil Crust Communities in Mesic Temperate Soils

Biological soil crust is composed of lichens, cyanobacteria, green algae, mosses, and fungi. Although crusts are a dominant source of nitrogen (N) in arid ecosystems, this study is among the first to demonstrate their contribution to N availability in xeric temperate habitats. The study site is located in Lucas County of Northwest Ohio. Using an acetylene reduction technique, we demonstrated potential N fixation for these crusts covering sandy, acidic, low N soil. Similar fixation rates were observed for crust whether dominated by moss, lichen, or bare soil. N inputs from biological crusts in northwestern Ohio are comparable to those in arid regions, but contribute substantially less N than by atmospheric deposition. Nitrate and ammonium leaching from the crust layer were quantified using ion exchange resin bags inserted within intact soil cores at 4 cm depth. Leaching of ammonium was greater and nitrate less in lichen than moss crusts or bare soil, and was less than that deposited from atmospheric sources. Therefore, biological crusts in these mesic, temperate soils may be immobilizing excess ammonium and nitrate that would otherwise be leached through the sandy soil. Moreover, automated monitoring of microclimate in the surface 7 cm of soil suggests that moisture and temperature fluctuations in soil are moderated under crust compared to bare soil without crust. We conclude that biological crusts in northwestern Ohio contribute potential N fixation, reduce N leaching, and moderate soil microclimate.     

脲酶-硝化抑制剂对减缓尿素转化产物氧化及淋溶的作用

利用原状土柱模拟试验,研究了脲酶抑制剂氢醌(HQ),硝化抑制剂包被碳化钙(ECC)和双氰胺(DCD)以及它们的不同组合对尿素转化产物土壤持留、氧化以及淋溶的影响.结果表明,与其它抑制剂处理相比,HQ+DCD组合能有效抑制尿素水解产物的氧化,使其以交换态NH₄⁺的形式在土壤中长时间持留;氧化作用的抑制不仅减少了氧化产物NO₃^-的累积,也降低了NO₃^-淋溶潜势,使其淋入下层土壤的深度仅限在5～10 cm范围内,且淋溶量显著降低.     

Clover and ryegrass are tolerant species to ammonium nutrition

The application of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) together with nitrogen fertilizers in grasslands is an effective alternative to reduce nitrate leaching and nitrogenous gases emissions to the atmosphere. Nevertheless, the use of NIs increases the amount of ammonium available for the plant that, due to its reported toxic effect in plants, can have a direct effect on crop production. Grassland species have traditionally suffered from intensive grazing and urea deposition and, therefore, a tolerance to ammonium nutrition could be expected in these species. Plants of Trifolium repens L. var. huia and Lolium perenne L. var. Herbus were grown under two nitrogen nutrition regimes (nitrate or ammonium) and three different nitrogen concentrations (0.5, 2.5 and 5 mmol/L). The effect of nitrogen form was determined on biomass production parameters, gas-exchange and water relations parameters as well as polyamine (PA) and ion tissue contents. Both grassland species showed tolerance to ammonium nutrition due to their capacity to adjust several metabolic processes in a species-specific way. Gas exchange measurements and biomass production (expressed as dry weight (DW)) were unaffected by the nitrogen form or dose in both species except for a decrease in root total DW in ryegrass plants grown under ammonium nutrition. Hydraulic conductance (L₀) increased in ryegrass with increasing ammonium doses but no change due to the nitrogen source was observed in water potential (Ψ_w) values. Both species, and specially ryegrass, accumulated free ammonium mainly in roots when grown under ammonium nutrition and its translocation to the shoot via xylem was also observed. A clear difference in cations and PAs pattern was observed in each species when comparing both nitrogen nutrition regimes.     

Is there an optimal root architecture for nitrate capture in leaching environments?

Little is known about root architectural attributes that aid the capture of nitrate from coarse-textured soil profiles of high leaching potential. In this study, a range of root architectures from the herringbone to the dichotomous structure were simulated, and their capacity to take up nitrate leaching through a sandy profile was recorded. All root systems had equal total volume at each point in time, and so were considered cost equivalent. These simulations showed that the root architecture likely to maximize nitrate capture from sandy soils (under the Mediterranean rainfall pattern experienced in Western Australia) is one that quickly produces a high density of roots in the top-soil early in the season, thereby reducing total nitrate leached with opening season rains, but also has vigorous taproot growth, enabling access to deep-stored water and leached nitrate later in the season. This is the first published, spatially explicit attempt to assess the ability of different root architectures equivalent in cost, to capture nitrate from a spatially and temporally heterogeneous soil environment.     

Nitrification inhibitors and ammonia volatilization

Summary A nitrification inhibitor applied with ammonium sulphate to bare soil and to grass increased the persistence of ammonium-N in soil and decreased the amount of nitrate-N leached from bare soil. Ammonia was volatilized more rapidly from bare soils treated with ammonium sulphate plus the inhibitor than when ammonium sulphate alone was used; the inhibitor increased the amount of ammonia volatilized from grass covered soils eight times.     

In-Situ Remediation of Lead–Zinc Polymetallic Mine Contaminated Soils by MnFe2O4 Microparticles

In-situ remediation is a practical approach to remediate soils contaminated with heavy metals. The MnFe₂O₄ microparticles (MM) were prepared for the in-situ remediation of contaminated soils from a lead–zinc polymetallic mine in Inner Mongolia province, China. The effects of MM dosage, pH on remediation efficiency, were determined with static vibration leaching experiment, and the release risk of heavy metals of treated soil was studied by column leaching experiment. The results showed that the leached Cu, Pb, Zn, and As concentration decreased drastically with increasing MM dosage, when the dosage was lower than 10 g/kg. Moreover, the decrease of pH caused increase of leached concentration of Cu, Pb, Zn, but slight decrease of leached As concentration. For the amended soil, concentrations of leached heavy metals were lower than Grade III limit of Chinese Environmental Quality Standards for Ground and Surface water (GB3838-2002) under simulated acid rain leaching condition. In comparison with non-amended soils, the total amount of Cu, Pb, Zn, and As release from amended soils was reduced by 93.6%, 69.2%, 57.0%, and 99.7%, respectively. The MM is a kind of promising amendment for heavy metals contaminated soil.     

降水变化对科尔沁沙地樟子松人工林土壤氮矿化和淋溶的影响

为研究降水量减少对沙地森林土壤氮循环过程的影响,以科尔沁沙地15年生樟子松人工林为研究对象,野外模拟不同降水量（自然降水、减少30%和50%）对沙地樟子松人工林土壤无机氮（SIN）含量、氮矿化速率和淋溶动态的影响。研究结果发现,沙地樟子松人工林SIN主要以硝态氮形态存在,模拟降水减少降低土壤硝态氮含量（P<0.05）和硝态氮/SIN值（P<0.001）,而增加土壤铵态氮含量（P<0.05）。与自然降水相比,降水减少降低土壤净硝化速率和净矿化速率（P=0.002）,但不同降雨处理的土壤净氨化速率差异不显著（P=0.86）。科尔沁沙地樟子松人工林土壤以硝态氮淋溶为主,不同降雨处理土壤硝态氮淋溶量差异不显著（P=0.09）,但模拟降水减少降低土壤铵态氮淋溶（P=0.04）。此外,沙地樟子松人工林SIN含量、净氮矿化速率和淋溶量具有明显月动态特征,与降雨月动态规律基本一致。降水处理和采样时间对SIN含量和净氮矿化速率具有显著交互作用,但土壤氮淋溶量的交互作用不显著。可见,降水变化能够显著影响科尔沁沙地樟子松人工林土壤氮有效性、氮矿化速率和淋溶等过程,未来干旱加剧可能降低科尔沁沙地樟子松人工林土壤氮的可利用性。     

Autotrophic Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria Contribute Minimally to Nitrification in a Nitrogen-Impacted Forested Ecosystem

Deposition rates of atmospheric nitrogenous pollutants to forests in the San Bernardino Mountains range east of Los Angeles, California, are the highest reported in North America. Acidic soils from the west end of the range are N-saturated and have elevated rates of N-mineralization, nitrification, and nitrate leaching. We assessed the impact of this heavy nitrogen load on autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing communities by investigating their composition, abundance, and activity. Analysis of 177 cloned β-Proteobacteria ammonia oxidizer 16S rRNA genes from highly to moderately N-impacted soils revealed similar levels of species composition; all of the soils supported the previously characterized Nitrosospira clusters 2, 3, and 4. Ammonia oxidizer abundance measured by quantitative PCR was also similar among the soils. However, rates of potential nitrification activity were greater for N-saturated soils than for soils collected from a less impacted site, but autotrophic (i.e., acetylene-sensitive) activity was low in all soils examined. N-saturated soils incubated for 30 days with ammonium accumulated additional soluble ammonium, whereas less-N-impacted soils had a net loss of ammonium. Lastly, nitrite production by cultivated Nitrosospira multiformis, an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium adapted to relatively high ammonium concentrations, was significantly inhibited in pH-controlled slurries of sterilized soils amended with ammonium despite the maintenance of optimal ammonia-oxidizing conditions. Together, these results showed that factors other than autotrophic ammonia oxidizers contributed to high nitrification rates in these N-impacted forest soils and, unlike many other environments, differences in nitrogen content and soil pH did not favor particular autotrophic ammonia oxidizer groups.     

Autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria contribute minimally to nitrification in a nitrogen-impacted forested ecosystem

Deposition rates of atmospheric nitrogenous pollutants to forests in the San Bernardino Mountains range east of Los Angeles, California, are the highest reported in North America. Acidic soils from the west end of the range are N-saturated and have elevated rates of N-mineralization, nitrification, and nitrate leaching. We assessed the impact of this heavy nitrogen load on autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing communities by investigating their composition, abundance, and activity. Analysis of 177 cloned beta-Proteobacteria ammonia oxidizer 16S rRNA genes from highly to moderately N-impacted soils revealed similar levels of species composition; all of the soils supported the previously characterized Nitrosospira clusters 2, 3, and 4. Ammonia oxidizer abundance measured by quantitative PCR was also similar among the soils. However, rates of potential nitrification activity were greater for N-saturated soils than for soils collected from a less impacted site, but autotrophic (i.e., acetylene-sensitive) activity was low in all soils examined. N-saturated soils incubated for 30 days with ammonium accumulated additional soluble ammonium, whereas less-N-impacted soils had a net loss of ammonium. Lastly, nitrite production by cultivated Nitrosospira multiformis, an autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacterium adapted to relatively high ammonium concentrations, was significantly inhibited in pH-controlled slurries of sterilized soils amended with ammonium despite the maintenance of optimal ammonia-oxidizing conditions. Together, these results showed that factors other than autotrophic ammonia oxidizers contributed to high nitrification rates in these N-impacted forest soils and, unlike many other environments, differences in nitrogen content and soil pH did not favor particular autotrophic ammonia oxidizer groups.     

脲酶-硝化抑制剂对减缓尿素转化产物氧化及淋溶的作用

利用原状土柱模拟试验,研究了脲酶抑制剂氢醌(HQ),硝化抑制剂包被碳化钙(ECC)和双氰胺(DCD)以及它们的不同组合对尿素转化产物土壤持留、氧化以及淋溶的影响.结果表明,与其它抑制剂处理相比,HQ+DCD组合能有效抑制尿素水解产物的氧化,使其以交换态NH₄⁺的形式在土壤中长时间持留;氧化作用的抑制不仅减少了氧化产物NO₃^-的累积,也降低了NO₃^-淋溶潜势,使其淋入下层土壤的深度仅限在5～10 cm范围内,且淋溶量显著降低.     

半干旱地区农田生态系统中硝态氮的淋失

在不同深度的渗漏池,连续6年(11季作物)研究了半干旱地区农田生态系统中硝态氮的淋失.结果表明,在半干旱地区,硝态氮的淋失仍可发生.淋失量和降水量有密切关系:降水多,淋失量大,不同降水年际间表现出显著差异.氮肥用量决定着淋失量的大小,而尿素和碳酸氢铵的淋失量却无本质差别.不同深度的土壤有着不同的贮水量,因而也有着不同的淋失量.实行夏季休闲,会增加硝态氮淋失的潜在危险.     

基于大麦根伸长测定土壤Pb毒性阈值、淋洗因子及其预测模型

选取了我国10个典型的不同性质农田土壤,外源添加8个不同Pb浓度,分别进行淋洗与非淋洗处理,根据ISO 11269-1根伸长毒性测试方法,测定了土壤外源Pb对大麦根伸长的毒性阈值(EC₁₀、EC₅₀)及Pb毒性的淋洗因子,同时建立了基于不同土壤性质的Pb毒性阈值预测模型. 结果表明: 不同性质土壤中Pb对大麦根伸长的毒性阈值有显著差异(P<0.01),EC₅₀ 值在300～4130 mg·kg^-1,EC₁₀ 值在55～633 mg·kg^-1. 淋洗处理明显降低了土壤中外源Pb的毒性,基于EC₅₀和EC₁₀测定的不同土壤淋洗因子(LF_ECx)的变化范围分别为0.96～1.96(LF_EC50)和1.03～1.81(LF_EC10). 相比而言,在酸性(pH<6.81)土壤中,淋洗处理对降低土壤外源Pb的毒性作用更为明显. 基于主控因子(pH、有机碳含量OC、阳离子交换量CEC)的淋洗与非淋洗土壤中Pb的大麦根伸长毒性(EC_x,_x=10,50)预测模型表明,除了江西红壤外,淋洗与非淋洗土壤中Pb的EC₅₀实测值均落在模型预测值±2倍标准误差范围之内,说明基于上述土壤主要性质可以较好预测不同性质土壤中Pb的毒性阈值.     

N deposition, N transformation and N leaching in acid forest soils

Nitrogen deposition, mineralisation, uptake and leaching were measured on a monthly basis in the field during 2 years in six forested stands on acidic soils under mountainous climate. Studies were conducted in three Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] plantations (D20: 20 year; D40: 40 yr; D60: 60 yr) on abandoned croplands in the Beaujolais Mounts; and two spruce (Picea abies Karst.) plantations (S45: 45 yr; S90: 90 yr) and an old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) stand (B150: 150 yr) on ancient forest soils in a small catchment in the Vosges Mountains. N deposition in throughfall varied between 7–8 kg ha^–1 year^–1 (D20, B150, S45) and 15–21 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (S90, D40, D60). N in annual litterfall varied between 20–29 kg ha^–1 (D40, D60, S90), and 36–43 kg ha^–1 (D20, S45, B150). N leaching below root depth varied among stands within a much larger range, between 1–9 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (B150, S45, D60) and 28–66 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (D40, S90, D20), with no simple relationship with N deposition, or N deposition minus N storage in stand biomass. N mineralisation was between 57–121 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 (S45, D40, S90) and between 176–209 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 in (B150, D60 and D20). The amounts of nitrogen annually mineralised and nitrified were positively related. Neither general soil parameters, such as pH, soil type, base saturation and C:N ratio, nor deposition in throughfall or litterfall were simply related to the intensity of mineralisation and/or nitrification. When root uptake was not allowed, nitrate leaching increased by 11 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 at S45, 36 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 at S90 and between 69 and 91 kg ha^–1 yr^–1 at D20, D40, B150 and D60, in relation to the nitrification rates of each plot. From this data set and recent data from the literature, we suggest that: high nitrification and nitrate leaching in Douglas-fir soils was likely related to the former agricultural land use. High nitrification rate but very low nitrate leaching in the old beech soil was related to intense recycling of mineralised N by beech roots. Medium nitrification and nitrate leaching in the old spruce stand was related to the average level of N deposition and to the deposition and declining health of the stand. Very low nitrification and N leaching in the young spruce stand were considered representative of fast growing spruce plantations receiving low N deposition on acidic soils of ancient coniferous forests. Consequently, we suggest that past land use and fine root cycling (which is dependent on to tree species and health) should be taken into account to explain the variability in the relation between N deposition and leaching in forests.     

Nutrient dynamics and plant assemblages of Macrotermes falciger mounds in a savanna ecosystem

Termites through mound construction and foraging activities contribute significantly to carbon and nutrient fluxes in nutrient-poor savannas. Despite this recognition, studies on the influence of termite mounds on carbon and nitrogen dynamics in sub-tropical savannas are limited. In this regard, we examined soil nutrient concentrations, organic carbon and nitrogen mineralization in incubation experiments in mounds of Macrotermes falciger and surrounding soils of sub-tropical savanna, northeast Zimbabwe. We also addressed whether termite mounds altered the plant community and if effects were similar across functional groups i.e. grasses, forbs or woody plants. Mound soils had significantly higher silt and clay content, pH and concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), organic carbon (C), ammonium (NH₄⁺) and nitrate (NO₃⁻) than surrounding soils, with marginal differences in phosphorus (P) and sodium (Na) between mounds and matrix soils. Nutrient enrichment increased by a factor ranging from 1.5 for C, 4.9 for Mg up to 10.3 for Ca. Although C mineralization, nitrification and nitrification fraction were similar between mounds and matrix soils, nitrogen mineralization was elevated on mounds relative to surrounding matrix soils. As a result, termite mounds supported unique plant communities rich and abundant in woody species but less diverse in grasses and forbs than the surrounding savanna matrix in response to mound-induced shifts in soil parameters specifically increased clay content, drainage and water availability, nutrient status and base cation (mainly Ca, Mg and Na) concentration. In conclusion, by altering soil properties such as texture, moisture content and nutrient status, termite mounds can alter the structure and composition of sub-tropical savanna plant communities, and these results are consistent with findings in other savanna systems suggesting that increase in soil clay content, nutrient status and associated changes in the plant community assemblage may be a general property of mound building termites.