TERMITE MOUNDS CAN PREVENT DESERTIFICATION

Corina E. Tarnita

Desertification due to: overgrazing; climate change

Sudden switch to desert; hard to recover

Decreasing rainfall

Increasing rainfall

Rainfall (mm day-1)

Veg

etat

ion

bio

mas

s (g

m-2)

Termite mounds are islands of fertile vegetation

In Laikipia: black cotton soil termites

Termites:

Improve nutrients on mounds

Allow water to infiltrate better

Decreasing rainfall

Increasing rainfall

Ve

ge

tati

on

bio

mas

s (

g m

-2)

Rainfall (mm day-1)

No mounds

With mounds

Thank you!