with particular reference to climate

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1 IRG/WP Termite taxonomy and distribution with particular reference to climate change in Africa POY Nkunika, BM Ahmed Shiday, GW Sileshi, JR J French, P Nyeko, S Jain The International Research Group on Wood Protection

2 INTRODUCTION Africa is well known for its diversity of termite fauna > 664 known species. Less than 5% cause serious damage to crops, g p, trees, wood products and timber in service.

3 Objectives *Discuss African termite taxonomy and distribution and link this to climate change *Explore opportunities for sustainable termite management

4 Approach Literature review: the internet search, personal communications, and published information on African termite species and their distribution. Emphasis was placed on eastern and Emphasis was placed on eastern and southern Africa.

5 Termite taxonomy Termite Family Number of Number of Feeding group genera species Lower Kalotermitidae 6 Unkown Dry wood Termopsidae 1 2 Damp wood Rhinotermitidae 3 Unknown Wood (all types) Hodotermitidae 2 3 Grass Higher Termitidae Wood, trees, grass, litter, dung, soil Adapted from Kambhampati and Eggleton (2000)

6 60 Number of African Genera Genera Number of Genera Kalotermitidae Hodotermitidae Rhinotermitidae Termitidae Family Kambhampati and Eggleton 2000

7 Termite taxonomy continued The taxonomy of Africa termites is notoriously difficult, and many new species are yet to be described. Traditional methods have short comings Molecular techniques

8 Distribution Northern Africa: species diversity is low (<15 spp.) probably due to the xeric conditions. East Africa: >143 termite species. This is also continuous with that t of Djibouti, Eit Eritrea, Ethiopia, i Somalia and Sudan to the North, and Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe and south Africa. Southern Africa: >165 species. This includes Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Namibia

9 Distribution continued Macrotermes species dominate the termite fauna in arid environments. Macrotermes bellicosus, M. falciger, M. michaelensis and M. subhyalinus occur throughout most of the arid areas of Africa.

10 Termites and climate change in Africa Climate change has emerged as a major environmental challenge. This will positively or negatively affect termite distribution. The impact of climate change on termite distribution and damage in Africa is not known with any great confidence.

11 Currently much of Africa is arid

12 Predicted impacts of climate change

13 -9 Mbala -10 Kawambwa Kasama -11 Mansa Samfya Isoka titude ( degrees South) Lat Mwinilunga Solwezi Kasempa ZambeziKabompo Kaoma Mongu Ndola Kabwe Lusaka Mpika Petauke Chipata Lundazi -16 Mazabuka Sesheke Livingstone Choma Longitude (degrees East) Contour map of the rate of increase in mean temperature ( o C) per decade for Zambia.

14 Areas at risk from climate change in Africa

15 Climate Change Vulnerability in Africa Increase in aridity (desertification), deforestation, degradation of woodland and the consequent loss of food and hbittf habitat for termites are likely l to affect termite distribution and damage. The map above was adapted from

16 Economic importance Timber in service Agricultural lcrops Forestry plantations

17 Eucalyptus grandis sapling felled by Macrotermes bellicosus Eucalyptus grandis sapling felled by Macrotermes bellicosus (Photo by Philip Nyeko)

18 Possible implications 1. Termites adapted to moist humid areas may go extinct. For example in South Africa (Jaarsveld et al., 1990) predicted that the termite genus Stolotermes was likely to go extinct following climate change. 2. Termite species adapted to hot and arid environments may expand their distribution with increase in aridity of humid areas. 3. Termite pest damagemayincrease may increase.

19 Implications. Damage by termites is greater during droughts than periods of regular rainfall (Black and Okwakol 1997; Logan et al. 1990). Ugandan and Kenyan farmers considered termite damage to be more severe in the dry months compared to the wet months (Malaret and Ngoru 1989; Nyeko and Olubayo 2005). i U d d bi i d h i Farmers in Uganda and Zambia mentioned that termite problems are more serious now than in the past (Sekamatte and Okwakol 2007; Sileshi et al. 2009; Tenywa 2008).

20 Implications continued According to farmers in eastern Zambia, termite damage to crops and trees is more severe during drought periods (Sileshi et al. 2009). The increase in termite damage could also be associated with climate change induced drought.

21 12 10 Before drought After drought 8 ecies Num mber of sp Choma Monze Mazabuka Kalomo Locality Drought effect on termite species (Nkunika, 1994).

22 Conclusions and the way Forward Termite identifications are crucial to understanding their distribution and management. There is an urgent need to build Human and institutionalcapacity intermite taxonomy in Africa using modern techniques. There is need to adopt Integrated Pest management (IPM) as a policy in termite control in the current climate changein Africa.