Diversidad de termitas en plantaciones comerciales de Pinus Caribaea Morelet en la meseta de San Pedro (Casanare)

Abstract

The Colombian Orinoquía is a current growing area of planted forest in the country, in which fast-growing species such as: Acacia mangium, Eucalyptus pellita and Pinus caribaea are predominant.. Monitoring local diversity helps to estimate the degree of sustainability of forestry activities through conservation bioindicators. Termites are one of the dominant invertebrate groups within the edafofauna and are considered as bioindicators, helping to maintain soil structure and functionality and are sensitive to environmental disturbances. The project was designed to estimate and compare the termite assemblage in plantations of P. caribaea of different ages, established on lands previously occupied by savannas and pastures and also to examine their relation with the supply of food. Using both the protocol of the transect modified and the line of intersection (LIS), termite samples were taken from soils, mounds and wood pieces, which were identified at the genus / morphospecies level and were classified by trophic groups. We included also dasometric variables and physicochemical characterization of soils which were correlated with data on diversity and richness of termites. Changes in diversity, abundance of species and functional groups of termites were found, where the humivorous group (Anoplotermes msp. 3) was the most dominant and diverse in savannas and pastures, while the xylophagous (Heterotermes tenuis) and the humivorous (Anoplotermes sp.1) were in the plantations of all ages. A positive relationship was found between the composition of termites and Carbon organic soil and a negative relation with canopy opening. The composition of trophic groups was also related to the degree of decomposition of the pieces of wood and to the accumulation of needles on the soil of the plantations. Termites are sensitive to changes in land use, transforming their population dynamics with the establishment of plantations and the modification of food supply as well.