Faculty Profiles - HYODO Fujio

Papers - HYODO Fujio

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The feeding habits of collembola along decomposition gradients using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analyses

Takuo Hishi, Fujio Hyodo, Seikoh Saitoh, Hiroshi Takeda

SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY 39 ( 7 ) 1820 - 1823 2007.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

We measured the natural stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope ratio patterns of collembola and the organic substrates of their habitats and potential food sources in a warm temperate coniferous forest. Based on previous studies, we classified collembola into successional classes along litter decomposition gradients: early colonizers, late colonizers, and dominants-throughout. The stable C and N isotope ratios of late colonizers exceeded those of early colonizers, and those of the dominants-throughout were intermediate between early and late colonizers, which is consistent with previous studies on two macro-invertebrates, earthworms and termites. The C and N isotopic signature differences in collembola may reflect food resource partitioning along decomposition gradients. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.soilbio.2007.01.028

Effect of forest use on trophic levels of small mammals: an analysis using stable isotopes

Michiko Nakagawa, Fujio Hyodo, Tohru Nakashizuka

CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY-REVUE CANADIENNE DE ZOOLOGIE 85 ( 4 ) 472 - 478 2007.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：NATL RESEARCH COUNCIL CANADA-N R C RESEARCH PRESS

The degradation of tropical forests is progressing rapidly and its ecological effects on wild animals are a global concern. We evaluated the hypothesis that small mammals in highly degraded forest occupy higher trophic levels than those in somewhat degraded forests, as indicated by diets high in consumers such as insects, in a tropical rain forest in Sarawak, Malaysia. After correcting for differences in the delta N-15 values for primary production among the study sites, the delta N-15(corrected) values for rats and mice (Muridae) differed significantly among forest types. Rats and mice in more degraded forest had higher delta N-15(corrected) values than those in less degraded or primary forest: in contrast, treeshrews (Tupaiidae) and squirrels (Sciuridae) showed no significant differences in the delta N-15(corrected) values among forest types. We found significant positive correlations between canopy openness and the delta N-15(corrected) values for one species of squirrel and two species of rats. This hypothesis was supported for small mammals that have normal dietary preferences for plants, i.e., omnivorous rodents, but not for those that normally prefer insects, i.e., treeshrews. The delta N-15 values for omnivorous mammals may be useful as an indicator of changes in food-web structure in response to forest disturbance.

DOI： 10.1139/Z07-026

Effects of mound occupation by the meat ant Iridomyrmex sanguineus (Hymenoptera : Formicidae) on the termite Amitermes laurensis (Isoptera : Termitidae) in an Australian woodland

Akinori Yamada, Tetsushi Inoue, Fujio Hyodo, Ichiro Tayasu, Takuya Abe

SOCIOBIOLOGY 50 ( 1 ) 1 - 9 2007

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：CALIF STATE UNIV

Mounds of the termite Amitermes laurensis in northern Queensland, Australia, are frequently invaded and occupied by the meat ant Iridomyrmex sanguineus, but their interactions remain unclear. In 1999, 68 A. laurensis mounds that were mapped and examined for the presence of the meat ants in 1998 were studied by destructive sampling, and the occupancy percentages of the termites were compared during the 2 years of meat ant occupation. The results indicate that the occupancy percentages of the termites in the intact mounds (79%) are significantly different from those in the mounds that were occupied by the meat ants in 1998 (58%), 1999 (42%), or both (20%). Although the mean vales showed apparent differences, no significant difference was observed in the occupancy percentages among the latter three cases. Our results suggest that the meat ants arc not lethal invaders of the termite mounds and that the recovery of the termite populations occurs after the meat ants abandon the mounds.

The runoff of suspended, substances, nitrogen, and phosphorus by enforced draining during the ploughing season Experiments in paddy fields

YAMADA Yoshihiro, IGETA Akitake, NAKASHIMA Sachi, MITO Yugo, OGASAHARA Takako, WADA Sayaka, OHNO Tomohiko, UEDA Atsushi, HYODO Fujio, IMADA Miho, YACHI Shigeo, TAYASU Ichiro, FUKUHARA Syoichi, TANAKA Takuya, WADA Eitaro

Japanese Journal of Limnology (Rikusuigaku Zasshi) 67 ( 2 ) 105 - 112 2006.8

Language：Japanese Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：日本陸水学会

The runoff of suspended substances (SS), nitrogen, and phosphorus by enforced draining during the ploughing season was calculated from experiments in two paddy fields. The area of a paddy field was 3000m2. The total fluxes were 33 kg (SS), 85 g (total-N), and 46 g (total-P) in Field A, with a small decrease in water levels (8mm), 110kg (SS), 589 g (total-N), and146 g (total-P) in Field B with a major decrease in water levels (72mm). Furthermore, the nitrogen/ phosphorus ratios (mol ratios) of the waste water by the enforced draining were 4.1 (Field A) and 8.8 (Field B). In comparison with N/P of the phytoplankton (16), it was found that the phosphorus flowed out efficiently with the enforced draining. Increasing the supply of the phosphorus to Lake Biwa is not desirable in view of the current problems of eutrophication. The careless water management of paddy fields was a crucial factor in any plan to improve the water quality of Lake Biwa.

DOI： 10.3739/rikusui.67.105

Estimation of the longevity of C in terrestrial detrital food webs using radiocarbon (C-14): how old are diets in termites?

F Hyodo, Tayasu, I, E Wada

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY 20 ( 2 ) 385 - 393 2006.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：BLACKWELL PUBLISHING

We propose that diets of consumers in a food web have various ages, where age is defined as the time elapsed since carbon (C) in the diet was fixed from atmospheric CO2 by primary producers. To examine the diet ages for primary consumers in a detrital food web, we measured the radiocarbon (C-14) content of termites collected in Thailand in 1998 and 2004. Diet ages were estimated by comparing the C-14 content of samples with records of atmospheric (CO2)-C-14, which doubled in the early 1960s as a result of nuclear weapons tests and decreased after the nuclear test ban treaty. For comparison, we measured the C-14 content of bees as primary consumers in a grazing web at the same study site. Stable carbon and nitrogen (N) isotope ratios were also analysed.
The C-14 contents of the same species of termites decreased during the sampling interval, indicating that they used organic matter produced after the peak in atmospheric (CO2)-C-14. The diet ages were estimated to be 12-18, 7-13 and 5-9 years for the wood-feeder (Microcerotermes crassus), the soil-feeders (Dicuspiditermes makhamensis and Termes comis) and the fungus-grower (Macrotermes carbonarius), respectively. One colony of soil-feeder (T. comis), which nested in a fallen tree trunk, had exceptionally low C-14 content, and its diet age was estimated to be around 50 years. The two bee species had lower C-14 contents compared with the termites, and their diet ages were estimated to be 0 (Apis florea) and 2-4 years (Trigona sp.).
Stable C and N isotope ratios of termites showed similar patterns as previously reported, and no clear difference was observed between 1998 and 2004. Although the bees and the fungus-growing termite had similar stable C and N isotope ratios, their diet ages differed.
Our study suggests that radiocarbon can be used to estimate the diet ages of consumers in terrestrial food webs. Diet age should provide new insight into the trophic positions of organisms in grazing and detrital food webs and the interactions between these two webs.

DOI： 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2006.01081.x

Sulfur and strontium isotope geochemistry of tributary rivers of Lake Biwa: implications for human impact on the decadal change of lake water quality

T Nakanao, Tayasu, I, E Wada, A Igeta, F Hyodo, Y Miura

SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 345 ( 1-3 ) 1 - 12 2005.6

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

To study the deterioration of the water quality in Lake Biwa, Japan, over the last 40 years, we measured the concentrations and isotopic ratios of sulfur and strontium of water in 41 inflowing rivers and one discharging river. The concentrations of SO4 and Sr of inflowing rivers at downstream sites were generally high in the southern urban area and in the eastern area, where a large agricultural plain is situated, but low in the northern and western areas, whose watersheds are mountainous and with low population density. SO4 and Sr concentrations are also lower at upstream sites, which are closer to mountainous areas. Thus, the inflowing river receives large amounts of SO4 and Sr as it flows across the plain, where human activity levels are high. The delta(34)S or Sr-87/Sr-86 values of most eastern rivers at downstream sites are lower than those of water in Lake Biwa, and values become more uniform as the proportion of the plain area in the watershed increases. River water in other areas has higher values of delta(34)S or Sr-87/Sr-86 than the lake water. This result indicates that the decadal decrease of delta(34)S and Sr-87/Sr-86 in the lake water has been caused mainly by the increased flux of SO4 and Sr from rivers in the eastern plain. We assume that in the plain, sulfur, nitrogen, and organic compounds induced by human activities generate sulfuric, nitric, and organic acids in the water, which accelerate the extraction of Sr from bedrocks, leading to the generation of Sr in the river water in the area. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.10.014

Why do bilaterally symmetrical flowers orient vertically? Flower orientation influences pollinator landing behaviour

A Ushimaru, F Hyodo

EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY RESEARCH 7 ( 1 ) 151 - 160 2005.1

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY LTD

Flower orientation is an important character influencing plant fitness. Zygomorphic flowers are known to orient vertically. We conducted field experiments in which we changed the flower angle of zygomorphic Commelina communis to determine how flower orientation affects pollinator behaviour. We confirmed that Commelina flowers oriented vertically like other zygomorphic flowers. Then, we artificially prepared control, upward- and downward-oriented flowers and exposed them to natural pollinators (syrphid flies and bumblebees). We found that the frequency of approach by syrphid flies and bumblebees was not influenced by flower angle, but there were fewer landings on downward-oriented flowers than on control and upward-oriented flowers. Moreover, the upward flower orientation increased illegitimate landings (landing on the flower without touching the stigmas or mating-related anthers) compared with controls. Thus, vertical flower orientation in zygomorphic flowers serves to control pollinator landings. Our findings suggest that deviations from vertical orientation may reduce fitness in C communis by reducing the efficiency of insect-mediated pollen transfer.

Changes in crown architecture with tree height in two deciduous tree species: developmental constraints or plastic response to the competition for light?

N Osada, R Tateno, F Hyodo, H Takeda

FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT 188 ( 1-3 ) 337 - 347 2004.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

We examined the crown architecture of two canopy species, Fagus crenata Blume, which is highly shade tolerant, and Quercus crispula Blume, which is less shade tolerant, in upper and lower positions on a slope in a cool-temperate forest in Japan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effects of the competitive position for the light environment and developmental constraints on the crown architecture of two species that have different degrees of shade tolerance. In both species, the maximum attainable height was smaller on the upper slope than on the lower slope. The light environment brightened with increasing tree height. Trees in similar competitive position and thus similar light environments were shorter on the upper slope than on the lower slope. When we considered tree height relative to the maximum attainable height, the difference between the upper and lower slopes in the relationship of competitive position to tree height disappeared. Thus, relative tree height was a good index of the competitive position for the light environment when the trees of both slope positions were pooled. The relationships of crown depth and width to relative tree height differed between trees on the upper and lower slopes, while the relationships of crown depth and width to actual tree height were similar. This suggests that developmental constraints are more important than the competitive position in determining the crown architecture of the two species. However, variation in crown architecture was greater in Q. crispula than in F crenata, probably because of the difference in shade tolerance between the two species. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.foreco.2003.08.003

Abundance and biomass of termites in dead wood in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand (vol 42, pg 569, 2003) Reviewed

Yamada, A, Inoue, T, Sugimoto, A, Takematsu, Y, Kumai, T, Hyodo, F, Fujita, A, Tayasu, I, Klangkaew, C, Kirtibutr, N, Kudo, T, Abe, T

SOCIOBIOLOGY 43 ( 2 ) 231 - 232 2004

Differential role of symbiotic fungi in lignin degradation and food provision for fungus-growing termites (Macrotermitinae : Isoptera)

F Hyodo, Tayasu, I, T Inoue, JI Azuma, T Kudo, T Abe

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY 17 ( 2 ) 186 - 193 2003.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD

1. To investigate whether the role of symbiotic fungi in lignin degradation and food provision differs among fungus-growing termites (four species of Macrotermes , three species of Odontotermes , Hypotermes makhamensis , Ancistrotermes pakistanicus and Pseudacanthotermes militaris ), the chemical composition of fungus combs of different ages and the chitinolytic activity in the gut of termites were analysed. In addition, the carbon stable isotope ratios (delta(13) C) in old combs, worker termite tissues and fungal nodules (aggregated conidia) were compared.
2. In Macrotermes spp., the carbohydrate : lignin ratio of the combs increased with increased comb age, but it decreased or remained the same in Odontotermes spp., H. makhamensis , A. pakistanicus and P. militaris. In contrast, the chitin : carbohydrate ratio and ash content increased more over time in the combs of Odontotermes spp., H. makhamensis , A. pakistanicus and P. militaris than in the combs of Macrotermes spp.
3. Chitinolytic activity in the gut of workers was higher in O. takensis , H. makhamensis and A. pakistanicus than in M. annandalei .
4. In all species examined, the delta(13) C value increased in the sequence: old combs < termites < fungal nodules. Based on a two-source model of delta(13) C, the contribution of fungi to termite nutrition was considered higher in Odontotermes spp., H. makhamensis , A. pakistanicus and P. militaris than in Macrotermes spp.
5. These results suggest that symbiotic fungi play different roles among fungus-growing termites. In Macrotermes spp., the main role of symbiotic fungi is to degrade lignin, so that the termites can utilize cellulose more efficiently, whereas in Odontotermes spp., H. makhamensis , A. pakistanicus and P. militaris , it is to serve as a food source.

DOI： 10.1046/j.1365-2435.2003.00718.x

Diversity of nest types in Microcerotermes crassus (Termitinae, Termitidae, Isoptera) in a dry evergreen forest of Thailand

Y Takematsu, T Inoue, F Hyodo, A Sugimoto, N Kirtebutr, T Abe

SOCIOBIOLOGY 42 ( 3 ) 587 - 596 2003

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：CALIF STATE UNIV

In a dry evergreen forest of Sakaerat, Thailand, five types of nests (arboreal, epigeal, hypogeal, inquiline and nests within wood) which were built by the genus Microcerotermes were observed. Morphologically, all samples collected from five nest types belonged to the same species and were identified as Microcerotermes crassus. This indicates that a single species can build different nest types in the same locality. Furthermore, the density of nests and the relative abundance were investigated. At 99 nests per plot area (165 nests per hectare), the nest abundance and the relative abundance was very much higher than in other Southeast Asian forests.

Abundance and Biomass of termites (Insecta : Isoptera) in dead wood in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand

A Yamada, T Inoue, A Sugimoto, Y Takematsu, T Kumai, F Hyodo, A Fujita, Tayasu, I, C Klangkaew, N Kirtibutr, T Kudo, T Abe

SOCIOBIOLOGY 42 ( 3 ) 569 - 585 2003

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV

The abundance and biomass of termites in dead wood were estimated in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand. Litter and dead wood were collected within ten 2 x 2 m quadrats on a 100 m transect, and then all termites in the litter and dead wood (= termites in dead wood) were dislodged. The biomass of litter and dead wood was 2.50 kg (dry weight) m(-2), of which 76% was represented by dead wood with a diameter of ! 1 cm. A total of 239 pieces of dead wood (diameter ! I cm) were collected, and 38 of them contained termites. The frequency of termites in dead wood was significantly different between pieces with a diameter of 1-5 cm and pieces with a diameter of greater than or equal to5 cm. The abundance and biomass of termites in dead wood were 1269 termites m(-2) and 3.53 g m(-2), respectively. A total of I I species, comprising Kalotermitidae, Rhinotermitidae and Termitidae, were collected; all of them belonged to the wood/litter-feeding group. Using our previous estimation for termites in the soil and data from other studies, the abundance and biomass of termites in the dry evergreen forest were estimated to be 7794 termites m(-2) and 16.7 g m(-2), of which 16 and 21%, respectively, were represented by termites in dead wood. Our study confirmed the importance of termites in dead wood in tropical seasonal forests.

Caste-specific N and C isotope ratios in fungus-growing termites with special reference to uric acid preservation and their nutritional interpretation

Tayasu, I, F Hyodo, T Abe

ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY 27 ( 3 ) 355 - 361 2002.6

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：BLACKWELL PUBLISHING LTD

1. Nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios and uric acid concentrations in fungus-growing termites (Isoptera: Termitidae: Macrotermitinae), sampled in Cameroon and Thailand, were determined in order to compare castes that are known to differ in behaviour and feeding habits.
2. Nitrogen isotope ratios (delta(15) N) were either not significantly changed or lower in workers compared with the diet (the fungus combs), whereas carbon isotope ratios (delta(13) C) were higher in worker termites than in the fungus combs.
3. In old workers, delta(15) N values were unexpectedly low and correlated negatively with whole-body uric acid concentrations. This indicates that older workers retain uric acid, which has a low delta(15) N value, to conserve nitrogen within the colony and, furthermore, that older colony members may ultimately be consumed by younger conspecifics.

DOI： 10.1046/j.1365-2311.2002.00414.x

Termite ecology in a dry evergreen forest in Thailand in terms of stable (delta C-13 and delta N-15) and radio (C-14, Cs-137 and Pb-210) isotopes

Tayasu, I, T Nakamura, H Oda, F Hyodo, Y Takematsu, T Abe

ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH 17 ( 2 ) 195 - 206 2002.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：BLACKWELL PUBLISHING ASIA

Stable (delta(13)C and delta(15)N) and radio- (C-14, Cs-137 and Pb-210) isotopes were determined for termites that have been sampled from a dry evergreen forest in Thailand. A wood-feeding termite, Microcerotermes crassus, was separated from soil-feeders: Termes propinquus, Termes comis and Dicuspiditermes makhamensis by delta(13)C and delta(15)N values. The Termes group in Thailand had less diverse values in delta(13)C and delta(15)N than those in Australia, where the feeding habits of the 'Termes' group are more diverse. Other soil-feeding termites produced similar delta(13)C values, but a larger range in delta(15)N values. C-14-percent modern carbon (pMC) values suggest that the soil-feeding termites used younger carbon than the wood-feeding termites, and this was consistent with the termites from Cameroon, central Africa. Values of delta(13)C and C-14-pMC indicate that surface soil was used by a soil-feeding termite, D. makhamensis, in making the nest mounds, and deeper soil (10-30 cm) by a fungus-growing termite, Macrotermes carbonarius Pb-210 and Cs-137 were scarcely incorporated into the termites, although Pb-214 was recovered from the workers. The results suggest that stable- and radioisotopes are useful in the study of detritivorous animals, organic matter decomposition and ecosystem engineering.

DOI： 10.1046/j.1440-1703.2002.00479.x

Nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios in the sympatric Australian termites, Amitermes laurensis and Drepanotermes rubriceps (Isoptera : Termitidae) in relation to their feeding habits and the quality of their food materials

Tayasu, I, F Hyodo, T Abe, T Inoue, AV Spain

SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY 34 ( 3 ) 297 - 301 2002.3

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Tissue N and C stable isotope ratios of two sympatric termite species were investigated in relation to those of their stored food materials at two savanna sites in north-eastern Australia (Woodstock and Oak Valley). At both sites, the delta(15)N values of termite tissues and the stored food materials of the litter-feeding species Amitermes laurensis were significantly greater than their equivalents in the grass-harvesting species Drepanotermes rubriceps. In addition, the carbohydrate/lignin and C/N ratios were higher and chitin/carbohydrate ratios were lower in food materials stored in the mounds of D. rubriceps. Both sets of analyses confirmed that A rubriceps assimilates less decomposed food materials than A. laurensis. Tissue delta(13)C Values indicated that both species assimilated similar proportions of C3 and C4 plant materials at the Woodstock site, but that the workers of A. laurensis assimilated a greater proportion of C3 plant material at the Oak Valley site. The delta(15) N values of termites from the Woodstock site were significantly greater than those from Oak Valley, although the differences in order at each site were consistent between species. The results indicate that N and C stable isotope ratios must be carefully compared across habitats. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/S0038-0717(01)00181-X

Effect of the soil-feeding termite, Dicuspiditermes makhamensis, on soil carbon structure in a seasonal tropical forest as revealed by CP/MAS C-13 NMR

F Hyodo, Tayasu, I, JI Azuma, N Kirtibutr, T Abe

SOCIOBIOLOGY 38 ( 3A ) 487 - 493 2001

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：CALIF STATE UNIV

Decomposition processes in the soil profile (L, F, A1 and A2 layer) in a seasonal tropical forest in Thailand was investigated and compared to the epigeal mound of the soil-feeding termite Dicuspiditermes makhamensis by CP/MAS C-13 NMR. The main characteristics of carbon structural changes during decomposition was the loss of carbohydrate and accumulation of recalcitrant aliphatic compounds. In terms of CP/MAS C-13 NMR, there is no clear difference between the carbon composition of the termite mound and that of the surface organic soil layer, suggesting that the effect of the soil-feeding termite is not very prominent on soil carbon structure.

The abundance and biomass of subterranean termites (Isoptera) in a dry evergreen forest of northeast Thailand

T Inoue, Y Takematsu, F Hyodo, A Sugimoto, A Yamada, C Klangkaew, N Kirtibutr, T Abe

SOCIOBIOLOGY 37 ( 1 ) 41 - 52 2001

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：CALIF STATE UNIV

The abundance and biomass of subterranean termites were assessed in the dry evergreen forest within the Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, northeast Thailand. The samplings were carried out by pit-digging in November 1998 (during rainy season) and February 1999 (during dry season). A total of 23 species of termites, comprising 17 genera were identified. Estimated abundance was 6450 tesmites/m(2) in November and 2526 termites/m(2) in February and biomass was 10.74g/m(2) (fresh mass) in November and 5.35g/m(2) in February, although no significant difference was detected in termite abundance and biomass between rainy and dry season. In 30cm depth pit-digging, we found more than 93% of individual termites and more than 94% of total biomass within the top 20cm of soil layer in both samplings. The termite abundance and biomass within the surficial soil layer (0-10cm layer) showed no significant difference between in November and February sampling.

Role of the mutualistic fungus in lignin degradation in the fungus-growing termite Macrotermes gilvus (Isoptera; Macrotermitinae)

F Hyodo, T Inoue, JI Azuma, Tayasu, I, T Abe

SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY 32 ( 5 ) 653 - 658 2000.5

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

In order to investigate the role of the mutualistic fungus, Termitomyces sp., in the fungus-growing termite, Macrotermes gilvus, we applied CP/MAS C-13 NMR and selected proximate analyses to fungus comb of different ages and degrees of maturation. We found evidence that lignin degradation took place progressively in the fungus comb. In vitro digestibility of cellulose in old fungus comb, on which the termites feed, was approximately 3-fold higher than that in the fresh part. These results confirm the 'lignin degradation hypothesis' that the role of the mutualistic fungi is lo degrade lignin and enhance the digestibility of cellulose for the termites, suggesting the ability of the termite-fungus association to make extremely efficient use of plant material. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/S0038-0717(99)00192-3

Stable isotope ratios and uric acid preservation in termites belonging to three feeding habits in Thailand

Tayasu, I, F Hyodo, Y Takematsu, A Sugimoto, T Inoue, N Kirtibutr, T Abe

ISOTOPES IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH STUDIES 36 ( 3 ) 259 - 272 2000

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal) Publisher：GORDON BREACH PUBLISHING, TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

Nitrogen and carbon stable isotope ratios and uric acid concentrations in termites sampled from a dry evergreen forest in Thailand, were determined across three kinds of feeding habits. Feeding habits of Microcerotermes crassus, which is an abundant wood-feeder, and Dicuspiditermes makhamensis, a common soil-feeding termite, were confirmed by isotopic signatures. Lichen feeding termites (Hospitalitermes birmanicus, H. bicolor and H. ataramensis) were characterized by low delta N-15 values, suggesting that they assimilated nitrogen deposited from the atmosphere. There was also a significant difference in uric acid concentrations between termites representing different feeding habits. No significant relationships were found between uric acid concentrations and delta N-15 or delta C-13 in Hospitalitermes. However, delta N-15 values were correlated with C/N ratios in H. birmanicus, except in one colony of H. ataramensis. delta C-13 values in both species were negatively correlated with C/N ratios.

DOI： 10.1080/10256010008036386

Estimation of effect of passage through the gut of a lower termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, on lignin by solid-state CP MAS C-13 NMR

F Hyodo, J Azuma, T Abe

HOLZFORSCHUNG 53 ( 3 ) 244 - 246 1999

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