High performance liquid chromatography studies on the polysaccharides in the walls of the mounds of two species of termite in Senegal, Cubitermes oculatus and Macrotermes subhyalinus: their origin and contribution to structural stability
D. Contour-ansel et al., High performance liquid chromatography studies on the polysaccharides in the walls of the mounds of two species of termite in Senegal, Cubitermes oculatus and Macrotermes subhyalinus: their origin and contribution to structural stability, BIOL FERT S, 31(6), 2000, pp. 508-516
The origin, nature and quantity of polysaccharides in the walls of the epig
eal mounds of a species of soil-feeding termite, Cubitermes oculatus, and a
fungus-growing termite, Macrotermes subhyalinus, found in Senegal, and of
soil not considered to be under the influence of termites, were studied to
obtain a clearer picture of the structural stability of these materials. Th
e compounds were extracted and analysed by high performance liquid chromato
graphy. We found that the walls of mounds made by soil-feeding species were
very rich in sugars soluble in aqueous acid or hot water. Most of the suga
rs originated from cellulose and hemicellulose, and only a small proportion
from microorganisms. There were also significant amounts of stachyose in t
he mound walls and in the reference soil. This sugar was probably formed by
the surrounding vegetation, which was mainly leguminous crops. Comparison
of the mineral and organic-mineral particle sizes of samples confirmed that
the walls of soil-feeding termite mounds where there is the greatest redis
tribution of clay have the best aggregating capacity. The results therefore
show that the polysaccharides in mound walls of soil-feeding termites are
mostly of plant origin. Their influence on the stability of these structure
is discussed. The walls of fungus-growing termite mounds contain little or
ganic matter and hence low levels of polysaccharides, which are mainly of p
lant origin.