Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates

Amy E. Zanne; Habacuc Flores-Moreno; Jeff R. Powell; William K. Cornwell; James W. Dalling; Amy T. Austin; Aimée T. Classen; Paul Eggleton; Kei Ichi Okada; Catherine L. Parr; E. Carol Adair; Stephen Adu-Bredu; Md Azharul Alam; Carolina Alvarez-Garzón; Deborah Apgaua; Roxana Aragón; Marcelo Ardon; Stefan K. Arndt; Louise A. Ashton; Nicholas A. Barber; Jacques Beauchêne; Matty P. Berg; Jason Beringer; Matthias M. Boer; José Antonio Bonet; Katherine Bunney; Tynan J. Burkhardt; Dulcinéia Carvalho; Dennis Castillo-Figueroa; Lucas A. Cernusak; Alexander W. Cheesman; Tainá M. Cirne-Silva; Jamie R. Cleverly; Johannes H.C. Cornelissen; Timothy J. Curran; André M. D’Angioli; Caroline Dallstream; Nico Eisenhauer; Fidele Evouna Ondo; Alex Fajardo; Romina D. Fernandez; Astrid Ferrer; Marco A.L. Fontes; Mark L. Galatowitsch; Grizelle González; Felix Gottschall; Peter R. Grace; Elena Granda; Hannah M. Griffiths; Juan M. Posada

doi:10.1126/science.abo3856

Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates

Amy E. Zanne, Habacuc Flores-Moreno, Jeff R. Powell, William K. Cornwell, James W. Dalling, Amy T. Austin, Aimée T. Classen, Paul Eggleton, Kei Ichi Okada, Catherine L. Parr, E. Carol Adair, Stephen Adu-Bredu, Md Azharul Alam, Carolina Alvarez-Garzón, Deborah Apgaua, Roxana Aragón, Marcelo Ardon, Stefan K. Arndt, Louise A. Ashton, Nicholas A. BarberJacques Beauchêne, Matty P. Berg, Jason Beringer, Matthias M. Boer, José Antonio Bonet, Katherine Bunney, Tynan J. Burkhardt, Dulcinéia Carvalho, Dennis Castillo-Figueroa, Lucas A. Cernusak, Alexander W. Cheesman, Tainá M. Cirne-Silva, Jamie R. Cleverly, Johannes H.C. Cornelissen, Timothy J. Curran, André M. D’Angioli, Caroline Dallstream, Nico Eisenhauer, Fidele Evouna Ondo, Alex Fajardo, Romina D. Fernandez, Astrid Ferrer, Marco A.L. Fontes, Mark L. Galatowitsch, Grizelle González, Felix Gottschall, Peter R. Grace, Elena Granda, Hannah M. Griffiths, Juan M. Posada

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Abstract

Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth’s surface.

Translated title of the contribution	La sensibilidad de las termitas a la temperatura afecta las tasas globales de descomposición de la madera
Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1440-1444
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	377
Issue number	6613
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo3856
State	Published - Sep 23 2022

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Zanne, A. E., Flores-Moreno, H., Powell, J. R., Cornwell, W. K., Dalling, J. W., Austin, A. T., Classen, A. T., Eggleton, P., Okada, K. I., Parr, C. L., Carol Adair, E., Adu-Bredu, S., Alam, M. A., Alvarez-Garzón, C., Apgaua, D., Aragón, R., Ardon, M., Arndt, S. K., Ashton, L. A., ... Posada, J. M. (2022). Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates. Science, 377(6613), 1440-1444. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo3856

@article{bea9cbfdb7fe460d8cf55cee6d4ee327,

title = "Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates",

abstract = "Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth{\textquoteright}s surface.",

author = "Zanne, {Amy E.} and Habacuc Flores-Moreno and Powell, {Jeff R.} and Cornwell, {William K.} and Dalling, {James W.} and Austin, {Amy T.} and Classen, {Aim{\'e}e T.} and Paul Eggleton and Okada, {Kei Ichi} and Parr, {Catherine L.} and {Carol Adair}, E. and Stephen Adu-Bredu and Alam, {Md Azharul} and Carolina Alvarez-Garz{\'o}n and Deborah Apgaua and Roxana Arag{\'o}n and Marcelo Ardon and Arndt, {Stefan K.} and Ashton, {Louise A.} and Barber, {Nicholas A.} and Jacques Beauch{\^e}ne and Berg, {Matty P.} and Jason Beringer and Boer, {Matthias M.} and Bonet, {Jos{\'e} Antonio} and Katherine Bunney and Burkhardt, {Tynan J.} and Dulcin{\'e}ia Carvalho and Dennis Castillo-Figueroa and Cernusak, {Lucas A.} and Cheesman, {Alexander W.} and Cirne-Silva, {Tain{\'a} M.} and Cleverly, {Jamie R.} and Cornelissen, {Johannes H.C.} and Curran, {Timothy J.} and D{\textquoteright}Angioli, {Andr{\'e} M.} and Caroline Dallstream and Nico Eisenhauer and Ondo, {Fidele Evouna} and Alex Fajardo and Fernandez, {Romina D.} and Astrid Ferrer and Fontes, {Marco A.L.} and Galatowitsch, {Mark L.} and Grizelle Gonz{\'a}lez and Felix Gottschall and Grace, {Peter R.} and Elena Granda and Griffiths, {Hannah M.} and Posada, {Juan M.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: Copyright {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1126/science.abo3856",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "377",

pages = "1440--1444",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "American Association for the Advancement of Science",

number = "6613",

}

Zanne, AE, Flores-Moreno, H, Powell, JR, Cornwell, WK, Dalling, JW, Austin, AT, Classen, AT, Eggleton, P, Okada, KI, Parr, CL, Carol Adair, E, Adu-Bredu, S, Alam, MA, Alvarez-Garzón, C, Apgaua, D, Aragón, R, Ardon, M, Arndt, SK, Ashton, LA, Barber, NA, Beauchêne, J, Berg, MP, Beringer, J, Boer, MM, Bonet, JA, Bunney, K, Burkhardt, TJ, Carvalho, D, Castillo-Figueroa, D, Cernusak, LA, Cheesman, AW, Cirne-Silva, TM, Cleverly, JR, Cornelissen, JHC, Curran, TJ, D’Angioli, AM, Dallstream, C, Eisenhauer, N, Ondo, FE, Fajardo, A, Fernandez, RD, Ferrer, A, Fontes, MAL, Galatowitsch, ML, González, G, Gottschall, F, Grace, PR, Granda, E, Griffiths, HM & Posada, JM 2022, 'Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates', Science, vol. 377, no. 6613, pp. 1440-1444. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo3856

TY - JOUR

T1 - Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates

AU - Zanne, Amy E.

AU - Flores-Moreno, Habacuc

AU - Powell, Jeff R.

AU - Cornwell, William K.

AU - Dalling, James W.

AU - Austin, Amy T.

AU - Classen, Aimée T.

AU - Eggleton, Paul

AU - Okada, Kei Ichi

AU - Parr, Catherine L.

AU - Carol Adair, E.

AU - Adu-Bredu, Stephen

AU - Alam, Md Azharul

AU - Alvarez-Garzón, Carolina

AU - Apgaua, Deborah

AU - Aragón, Roxana

AU - Ardon, Marcelo

AU - Arndt, Stefan K.

AU - Ashton, Louise A.

AU - Barber, Nicholas A.

AU - Beauchêne, Jacques

AU - Berg, Matty P.

AU - Beringer, Jason

AU - Boer, Matthias M.

AU - Bonet, José Antonio

AU - Bunney, Katherine

AU - Burkhardt, Tynan J.

AU - Carvalho, Dulcinéia

AU - Castillo-Figueroa, Dennis

AU - Cernusak, Lucas A.

AU - Cheesman, Alexander W.

AU - Cirne-Silva, Tainá M.

AU - Cleverly, Jamie R.

AU - Cornelissen, Johannes H.C.

AU - Curran, Timothy J.

AU - D’Angioli, André M.

AU - Dallstream, Caroline

AU - Eisenhauer, Nico

AU - Ondo, Fidele Evouna

AU - Fajardo, Alex

AU - Fernandez, Romina D.

AU - Ferrer, Astrid

AU - Fontes, Marco A.L.

AU - Galatowitsch, Mark L.

AU - González, Grizelle

AU - Gottschall, Felix

AU - Grace, Peter R.

AU - Granda, Elena

AU - Griffiths, Hannah M.

AU - Posada, Juan M.

PY - 2022/9/23

Y1 - 2022/9/23

N2 - Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth’s surface.

AB - Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)—even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth’s surface.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138341314&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85138341314&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1126/science.abo3856

DO - 10.1126/science.abo3856

M3 - Article

C2 - 36137034

AN - SCOPUS:85138341314

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 377

SP - 1440

EP - 1444

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 6613

ER -

Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates

Abstract

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