Changes in termite (Isoptera) communities due to the clearance and cultivation of tropical forest in Uganda

Changes in termite communities following clearance and cultivation of part of Mabira Forest Reserve were studied. The study sites included natural forest, a cleared but not cultivated site and six sites cultivated for different periods, ranging from 1 to 20 years.
A total of 25 species, including Odontotermes amanicus (Sjostedt) and Microtermes luteus (Harris), both not previously identified in Uganda, was recorded in the natural forest. Forest clearance resulted in drastic reduction of the number of species to about 40% of what existed in the natural forest, while cultivation led to further elimination, leaving only four and two species, respectively, in the 1- and 20-year-old banana groves.
The study showed that termite species diversity declines when the natural forest is cleared and cultivated. It is suggested that reduction in termite diversity alters ecological processes and may result in diminishing productivity with time.