Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates

ZANNE, AMY E.; FLORES-MORENO, HABACUC; POWELL, JEFF R.; CORNWELL, WILLIAM K.; DALLING, JAMES W.; AUSTIN, AMY T.; CLASSEN, AIMÉE T.; EGGLETON, PAUL; OKADA, KEI-ICHI; PARR, CATHERINE L.

SCIENCE

AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE

Año: 2022 vol. 377 p. 1440 - 1444

0036-8075

Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbialwood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites arealso important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climatesensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highlysensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—evenmore so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropicalsavannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth’s surface.