Article
Construction & Building Technology
Reuben Sanga, Menard Kilumile, Fatma Mohamed
Summary: Due to extensive pollution in material production, construction, and demolition processes, there is a global need to find alternative materials to reduce environmental impact. This study draws inspiration from termite techniques to develop a material for constructing naturally cemented mound structures. The material consists of a mixture of soil particles and termite saliva containing polysaccharides and cellulase enzymes. Clay bricks produced using this technique showed promising compressive strength, outperforming burnt clay bricks.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Shasha Qin, Feilong Rong, Manyun Zhang, Guirui Su, Wei Wang, Liqun Wu, Aiping Wu, Falin Chen
Summary: Biochar application has been proven to be an efficient method for increasing agricultural productivity. However, more research is needed to study the potential of biochar combined with reduced fertilization in improving yield and fertilizer utilization efficiency in rice farming on acidic soil.
Article
Microbiology
Zhen-Zhen Yan, Qing-Lin Chen, Chao-Yu Li, Bao-Anh Thi Nguyen, Yong-Guan Zhu, Ji-Zheng He, Hang-Wei Hu
Summary: The study revealed significant differences in resistome profiles between termite mounds and bulk soils, with lower abundance and diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in termite mounds compared to bulk soils. The proportion of efflux pump ARGs was also significantly lower in termite mounds. These differences are suggested to be a result of changes in microbial interactions due to the increase in pH and nutrient availability induced by termite nesting activities.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
John Van Thuyne, James Irving, Eric P. Verrecchia
Summary: This study analyzed a relic fungus-growing termite mound in northern Botswana using a combination of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), particle size distribution (PSD), X-ray computed microtomography (X-ray micro-CT), and soil micromorphology methods. The results suggest that ERT is a non-destructive method to investigate the interior structure of termite mounds and can provide insights into mound morphology and development. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the long-lasting impact of fungus-growing termite mounds on savanna landscapes.
Article
Biology
Tadeu M. Fagundes, Juan C. Ordonez, Neda Yaghoobian
Summary: The shapes of termite mounds are influenced by both regulatory functions and local environments, resulting in a combination of factors to determine the eventual mound shape. Factors such as solar irradiance and wind play crucial roles in shaping the form of the mounds, with different environmental conditions leading to distinct features in mound structures across regions like India, Namibia, and Brazil.
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Li Qing, Dai Qigen, Hu Jian, Wu Hongjun, Chen Jingdu
Summary: The application of animal-derived organic fertilizer significantly increased the relative abundance of TRGs in paddy soils, while plant-derived and commercial organic fertilizers had no significant effect. Animal-derived and plant-derived organic fertilizers altered bacterial communities in paddy soils, while commercial organic fertilizer did not. Soil physicochemical properties were found to be the decisive factors in influencing TRGs in organic paddy fields.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Haiyu Wang, Junzeng Xu, Bing Chen, Yawei Li, Shuai Li, Hao Liang, Qianjing Jiang, Yong He, Wenjia Xi
Summary: High-performance fertilization equipment with high uniformity is crucial for improving fertilizer use efficiency in paddy fields. This study investigated the uniformity of fertilization in paddies using an automatic system (SF) and comparing it to manual fertilization by farmers (FF). The results showed that the SF paddies had higher Christiansen uniformity coefficient (CU) than the FF paddies, with the SFN paddies having the highest CU. The fertilizer dose did not significantly affect fertilization uniformity in the SF treatments, suggesting that SF can better match efficient fertilization strategies.
Article
Agronomy
Amsalu Tilahun, Wim Cornelis, Steven Sleutel, Abebe Nigussie, Bayu Dume, Eric Van Ranst
Summary: Termites can play a significant role in soil nutrient availability and cycling, with their mound materials potentially serving as useful amendments. However, the spatial arrangement of mounds needs to be considered. The study showed that termite mounds were enriched in plant nutrients and organic carbon on Vertisols, but not on Nitisols.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Assia Aboubakar Mahamat, Ifeyinwa Ijeoma Obianyo, Blasuis Ngayakamo, Numfor Linda Bih, Olugbenga Ayeni, Salifu T. Azeko, Holmer Savastano
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of optimizing the mechanical behavior and dimensional stability of termite mound soil through alkaline activation, showing that alkali stabilized termite soil can be used as masonry elements predominantly submitted to compression with high compressive strength under specific conditions. The results suggest potential applications of Alkaline Activation techniques for obtaining renewable and sustainable building materials at low cost with low energy consumption, replicable in most regions.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yarong Zhang, Yun Nie, Yanling Liu, Xingcheng Huang, Yehua Yang, Han Xiong, Huaqing Zhu, Yu Li
Summary: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields is crucial for responding to the national dual-carbon strategy, achieving green agricultural development, and ensuring food security. The use of organic fertilizers as a substitute for chemical fertilizers has positive impacts on crop yield and soil nutrients, but its effects on the greenhouse effect vary depending on various factors such as soil, geography, ecological environment, and human management.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ben Jesuorsemwen Enagbonma, Adenike Eunice Amoo, Olubukola Oluranti Babalola
Summary: By evaluating the microbial diversity differences between termite mound soil and nearby soil, it was discovered that the carbon substrate utilization in termite mound soil differed significantly from that in nearby soil, indicating a difference in microbial functional diversity between the two habitats.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Brianna Lind, Tercia Strydom, Niall P. Hanan
Summary: There are many termite mounds in African savannas, and their interactions with vegetation and their potential role in redistributing water are of significant interest for ecosystem function and services. We assessed mound hydrological properties and explored the potential for termite mound-mediated water redistribution to affect vegetation growth in water-limited savanna systems. Our findings show that bare termite mounds have the potential to locally redistribute water during rainfall events, inhibiting vegetation colonization of the mound while potentially benefiting mound-adjacent vegetation.
JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Guihua Li, Xueling Zhang, He Zhang, Kangli Guo, Jianfeng Zhang
Summary: This study compared the effects of different fertilizer treatments on rice yield, soil nutrient condition, and bacterial diversity. The results showed that reducing farmers' practice nitrogen fertilizer by 20% and partially substituting it with manure can maintain rice yield and have limited effects on soil properties and bacterial community structure.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Assia Aboubakar Mahamat, Moussa Mahamat Boukar, Nurudeen Mahmud Ibrahim, Tido Tiwa Stanislas, Numfor Linda Bih, Ifeyinwa Ijeoma Obianyo, Holmer Savastano
Summary: The unconventional usage of earth-based materials in construction makes it challenging to accurately estimate their properties, with traditional materials procedures falling short in accuracy. To predict the compressive strength of these materials, support vector machines, artificial neural networks, and linear regression models were used, with support vector machines outperforming the other methods in terms of R-2 score and root mean square error.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Foundiere Kone, Kanvaly Dosso, Souleymane Konate
Summary: In central Cote d'Ivoire, the low fertility of savanna soil has resulted in farmers preferring wooded areas, which poses pressure risks to Lamto Scientific Reserve. This study suggests that abandoned termite mounds can be used as a cultural amendment to restore soil fertility, as they are more stable and fertile than adjacent soils.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Umakanta Sarker, Tofazzal Islam, Golam Rabbani, Shinya Oba
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Umakanta Sarker, Md Tofazzal Islam, Md Golam Rabbani, Shinya Oba
SPANISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2015)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Umakanta Sarker, Md. Tofazzal Islam, Md. Golam Rabbani, Shinya Oba
TURKISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
(2016)
Article
Plant Sciences
Umakanta Sarker, Md. Tofazzal Islam, Md. Golam Rabbani, Shinya Oba
INDIAN JOURNAL OF GENETICS AND PLANT BREEDING
(2017)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Umakanta Sarker, Shinya Oba
Article
Agronomy
Umma Khair Salma Khanam, Shinya Oba
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCE
(2013)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Laila Khandaker, Md. Babar Ali, Shinya Oba
FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2009)
Article
Agronomy
Umma Khair Salma Khanam, Shinya Oba
PLANT PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2014)
Article
Horticulture
Laila Khandaker, A. S. M. G. Masum Akond, Md B. Ali, Shinya Oba
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2010)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Umma Khair Salma Khanam, Shinya Oba, Emiko Yanase, Yoshiya Murakami
JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS
(2012)
Article
Food Science & Technology
M. B. Ali, Laila Khandaker, Shinya Oba
JOURNAL OF FOOD AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT
(2010)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Md. B. Ali, Laila Khandaker, Shinya Oba
JOURNAL OF FOOD AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT
(2009)
Article
Agronomy
Umakanta Sarker, Md Tofazzal Islam, Md Golam Rabbani, Shinya Oba
ACTA AGRICULTURAE SCANDINAVICA SECTION B-SOIL AND PLANT SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Laila Khandaker, A. S. M. G. Masum Akond, Shinya Oba
JOURNAL OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE
(2009)