Landscape monitoring of semi-arid rangelands in the Kenyan Rift Valley

A sampling system was devised and used from 1992 to 1996 in annual grassland and open woodland of the south-west Kenyan Rift Valley. The monitoring was designed to detect vegetation changes consequent on the attempted removal of the tsetse vectors of trypanosomiasis in cattle during a simultaneous trapping programme. The sampled sites covered most vegetation-landscape types, and have led to a better understanding of processes within some. Although fluctuations in pastoralist use and occupancy have been observed, no change in vegetation can be attributed to increased grazing or browsing. Although there is high climatic variability some vegetation types seemed stable over the period studied, and some trends appear to be predictable.     

Specificity of termite trails: Analysis of natural trails of Trinervitermes, macrotermes and Odontotermes from sympatric populations

Laboratory tests for selective trail-following between naturally established trails indicate that termites from neighbouring colonies of Trinervitermes bettonianus (Isoptera: Termitidae) do not show a significant preference for their own colony's trails in a choice situation. However, termites from different genera, T. bettonianus, Macrotermes michaelseni and Odontotermes sp. from neighbouring populations recognize their respective trails with a high degree of precision.

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Résumé Des expériences de laboratoire ont montré que les Trinervitermes bettonianus provenant de deux colonies voisines, quand ils ont le choix, ne préfèrent pas les pistes de leur propre colonie. Par contre, les termites Trinervitermes bettonianus, Macrotermes michaelseni et Odontotermes sp., provenant de populations voisines, reconnaissent avec une grande précision leurs propres pistes.