INFLUENCE OF VEGETATION AND SOIL TYPES ON THE WHEAT-BELT TERMITE, DREPANOTERMES-TAMMINENSIS (HILL), IN THE WESTERN-AUSTRALIAN WHEAT-BELT

A survey of the distribution and density of mounds of the harvester te rmite, Drepanotermes tamminensis (Hill), was carried out in the Duroko ppin Nature Reserve, Western Australia in 1990. Vegetation and, to a l esser extent, soil type, appear to be important factors in determining density and distribution of termite mounds within the Reserve. A more detailed study of mounds in Wandoo (Eucalyptus capillosa) woodland an d Casuarina (Allocasuarina campestris) shrubland indicated that the to tal number and size of mounds were significantly higher in the woodlan d than in the shrubland. The total wet weight biomass of D. tamminensi s was calculated as 3.74 g m-2 (37.4 kg ha-1) in the woodland and 1.69 g M-2 (16.9 kg ha-1) in the shrubland. Thus, of the two favored habit ats, Wandoo woodland appears to be more optimal for this termite speci es than the Casuarina shrubland.