Termites and Fire: The burning question. The effect of different fire regimes on termite activity.

This experiment was carried out in the Shabeni and Kambeni experimental burn plots
in the Pretoriuskop region of the Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga Province, South
Africa. Sampling was conducted in the annually burned and control plot of each of
the sites. Four 50m transects and a 200mx 200m quadrat was set up in each site to
get an estimate of termite density and activity. The results show that there was a
greater density of termite activity on the annually burned plot than the control plots in
both sites ( Shabeni-df=1,P<.01, Kambeni- df=1,P<.01). The conclusion drawn from
the results is that termites do better in fire prone areas because fires promote habitat
heterogeneity.
Samevatting: Hierdie ekperiment was uitgedra in die Shabeni en Kambeni experimentale verbrande
komplotte in die Pretoriuskop gebied van die Kruger Nasionalle Park, Mpumalanga
Provinsie, Suid Afrika. Toetsing was uitgedra in die jaarliks verbrand en kontrol
komplot van die Shabeni en Kambeni eksperimentalle komplotte. In elke kompolt
was vier 50m lyne en ʼn 200m by 200m kwadrant gestuig om ʼn idea van witmier
digtheid te kry. Die uitslae duig aan dat die digtheid van witmiere in die jaarlikse
verbrande komplotte hoёr is dan die digtheid in die controle komplotte vir die
Shabeni en Kambeni komplotte ( Shabeni-df=1,P<.01, Kambeni- df=1,P<.01. Die
gevolgtrekking wat van die utslae geskep was, is dat witmiere beter vorder in die
jaarliks verbrande komplotte omdat vier woonplaas heterogeneteit bevorder.