A new study finds that climate change will lead to an increase in termite activity (the process of tropicalization where global warming shifts certain regions towards tropical climates). Not only will this cause a direct problem stemming from the damage that termites cause (especially to wood) there is an indirect effect that will exacerbate the climate problem: the release of more carbon dioxide.
Termite colonies range in size from a few hundred individuals to enormous societies with several million individuals. This means any change of conditions that favours termites – hot and dry conditions – will see considerable increases in numbers.
This effect happens because termites could reduce the amount of carbon stored in wood as the world gets hotter and drier, as reported by the Natural History Museum in London. In particular, levels of carbon dioxide release from release from deadwood as is predicted to increase worldwide.
Termites have a variety of food sources, although wood-eating termites are the most common based on an ability to degrade cellulose.
The example of climate change causing increases to termite numbers, and more termites creating more climate change through carbon dioxide release is an example of a ‘climate feedback loop’. Feedback loops of this type are complex in themselves and even more complex when considered as part of an integrated global climate system.
The example of termites and the contribution to climate change relates to a study published in the journal Science. Here the research found that the wood decaying activity of termites will increase by close to seven times for every 10 degrees Celsius the Earth warms.
By using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, the researchers found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature. The necessity of a wide global reach reflects the spread of termites around the world (although one third of the world’s species of termites live in Africa).
It had been long thought that termites are an important decomposer in the tropics, and connected to heat-dependent wood decay and associated climate impact; however, until now they have been less well studied.
The regions of the world most likely to impact have been identified, by the researchers, as: Tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. Going forwards it will be more important to understand how termites will behave in the Anthropocene.
The research paper is titled “Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates”. The research was led by scientists from the Department of Biology, University of Miami, U.S.
