Savanna with termite nest
| Title | Info |
|---|---|
| Common name | Termites; Acacia Tree |
| Scientific name | Isoptera; Acacia |
| Taxonomic group | Insecta; Fabaceae |
| Level | Order; Genus |
| Source | Dan L. Perlman |
| Ecosystems | Grasslands, savannas |
| Grasslands and savannas | Tropical savanna |
| Nutrient cycles | Nitrogen; Carbon; Decomposition |
| Ecological interactions | Herbivory |
| Change over time | Decomposition |
| Behavior | Nesting; Social |
| Organisms | Animals; Plants |
| Animals | Insects |
| Date | August 01, 2003 |
| Location | Tarangire National Park,Tanzania,Africa |
Savanna with termite nest and Acacia tree, Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. This image shows two of the most prominent features of the East African savanna, a flat-topped Acacia tree and a huge termite nest. There is a nice balance here, with the Acacia acting as a giant solar collector, turning sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugars and structural materials, and the termites harvesting those materials and, with the help of micro-organisms in their guts, decomposing them back into carbon dioxide and water. The materials cycle back and forth, but the energy flows only in one direction, from sun to plant to animals and micro-organisms.
