Termites' sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rate

Through this study, researchers learned that termites are pivotal when it comes to breaking down wood, contributing to the earth’s carbon cycle. They also discovered that termites are significantly sensitive to temperature and rainfall; this means that as temperatures rise, the insect’s role in wood decay will likely expand beyond the tropics.

Researchers
  • Professor Mark Robertson

Professor Mark Robertson is a lecturer in the Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria. He is interested in biological invasions, species distributions, community ecology and the role that invertebrates play in ecosystem processes.

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  • Professor Catherine (Kate) Parr

Professor Catherine Parr has broad interests –her research combines community ecology, biodiversity conservation, disturbance ecology, ecosystem ecology and invasive species, with a particular focus on invertebrates. The driving force behind her research is a desire to understand how biodiversity is maintained and how its loss affects ecosystem structure and function. Apart from loving ecology, she has a particular fondness for Marmite, cricket, Tintin, and bright blue skies.

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  • Katherine Bunney

Katherine Bunney is a PhD candidate at the Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria. Her study looks at the functional role of termites in savanna ecosystems.

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