Fruitful Savannahs: Termites enrich the soil in East Africa

liza — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:56:11 +0000

Vertebrate fertilizer is not the only source of nutrients in the soils of East African savannahs, at least according to a study recently published in the journal Ecology. Alison Brody from the University of Vermont and colleagues found that termites actually had more of an effect on the fruiting success of Acacia trees in Kenya than did dung and urine deposition from ungulate herbivores, such as zebras and gazelles. The underground termite mounds, covered in vegetation and ranging from 5-10 meters in size, increased nitrogen and other nutrients in the soil—significantly more so than ungulates typically provided. In this edition of Field Talk, Brody talks about the symbiotic relationships these Acacia trees have with vertebrates and invertebrates, her plans for future research on the effects of cattle grazing on this land and her experiences in the field with the Kenya Long-term Exclosure Experiment.

It’s only skin deep: Melanism and thermoregulation in lizards

liza — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 21:22:06 +0000

Like all ectotherms, lizards gain energy to go about their business by absorbing heat from their surrounding environment. Often lizards bask in the sun to maximize their heat absorption. But there are other, subtler things that can also affect how much heat ectotherms take up, like the color of their skin. In the August issue of Ecology, Susana Clusella-Trullas of Stellenbosch University in South Africa (pictured at left) compared similar species of rock-dwelling South African lizards with one significant difference: the color of their scales. She found that darker-colored melanistic lizards reap thermal benefits from having darker skin, which can translate into more time spent being active in their environments.

Africa – Field Talk

Fruitful Savannahs: Termites enrich the soil in East Africa

It’s only skin deep: Melanism and thermoregulation in lizards