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; Aimee T. Classen; Paul Eggleton; Kei-ichi  Okada; Catherine L. Parr; E. Carol Adair; Stephen  Adu-Bredu; Md Azharul  Alam; Carolina  Alvarez-Garzón; Deborah Mattos Guimarães Apgaua; Roxana  Aragón; Marcelo Ardón; Stefan Arndt; Louise A. Ashton; Nicholas A.  Barber; Jacques   Beauchêne; Matty P.  Berg; Jason Beringer; Matthias 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 Mouro 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; Mariana Guerra  Lara; Motohiro  Hasegawa; Mariet M.  Hefting; Nina Hinko-Najera; Tim Lardner; Michael J. Liddell; Craig MacFarlane; Cate Macinnis-Ng; Ravi F.  Mariano; M. Soledad  Méndez; Wayne S. Meyer; Akira S.  Mori; Aloysio S.  Moura; Matthew Northwood; Romà Ogaya; Rafael Oliveira; Alberto  Orgiazz; Juliana  Pardo; Guille  Peguero; Josep Peñuelas; Luis I.  Perez; Juan M.  Posada; Cecilia M. Prada; Tomáš  Prívetivý; Suzanne Prober; Jonathan  Prunier; Gabriel W.  Quansah; Victor  Resco de Dios; Ronny  Richter; Mark P. Robertson; Lucas F.  Rocha; Megan A.  Rúa; Carolina  Sarmiento; Richard Silberstein; Mateus Cardoso Silva; Flávia Freire  Siqueira; Matthew Glenn  Stillwagon; Jacqui Stol; Melanie K.  Taylor; Francois Teste; David Yue Phin Tng; David Tucker; Manfred  Türke; Michael D.  Ulyshen; Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes; Eduardo  van den Berg; Richard S. P.  van Logtestijn; G. F (Ciska) Veen; Jason G.  Vogel; Timothy J. Wardlaw; Georg Wiehl; Christian  Wirth; Michaela J.  Woods; Paul Camilo Zalamea

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, Aimee T. Classen, Paul Eggleton, Kei-ichi Okada, Catherine L. Parr, E. Carol Adair, Stephen Adu-Bredu, Md Azharul Alam, Carolina Alvarez-Garzón, Deborah Mattos Guimarães Apgaua, Roxana Aragón, Marcelo Ardón, Stefan Arndt, Louise A. Ashton, Nicholas A. BarberJacques Beauchêne, Matty P. Berg, Jason Beringer, Matthias 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 Mouro 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, Mariana Guerra Lara, Motohiro Hasegawa, Mariet M. Hefting, Nina Hinko-Najera, Tim Lardner, Michael J. Liddell, Craig MacFarlane, Cate Macinnis-Ng, Ravi F. Mariano, M. Soledad Méndez, Wayne S. Meyer, Akira S. Mori, Aloysio S. Moura, Matthew Northwood, Romà Ogaya, Rafael Oliveira, Alberto Orgiazz, Juliana Pardo, Guille Peguero, Josep Peñuelas, Luis I. Perez, Juan M. Posada, Cecilia M. Prada, Tomáš Prívetivý, Suzanne Prober, Jonathan Prunier, Gabriel W. Quansah, Victor Resco de Dios, Ronny Richter, Mark P. Robertson, Lucas F. Rocha, Megan A. Rúa, Carolina Sarmiento, Richard Silberstein, Mateus Cardoso Silva, Flávia Freire Siqueira, Matthew Glenn Stillwagon, Jacqui Stol, Melanie K. Taylor, Francois Teste, David Yue Phin Tng, David Tucker, Manfred Türke, Michael D. Ulyshen, Oscar J. Valverde-Barrantes, Eduardo van den Berg, Richard S. P. van Logtestijn, G. F (Ciska) Veen, Jason G. Vogel, Timothy J. Wardlaw, Georg Wiehl, Christian Wirth, Michaela J. Woods, Paul Camilo Zalamea

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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 from133 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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1440–1444
Number of pages	5
Journal	Science
Volume	377
Issue number	6613
Early online date	23 Sept 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo3856
Publication status	Published - 23 Sept 2022

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10.1126/science.abo3856

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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., Parr, C. L., Adair, E. C., Adu-Bredu, S., Alam, M. A., Alvarez-Garzón, C., Apgaua, D. M. G., Aragón, R., Ardón, M., Arndt, S., Ashton, L. A., ... Zalamea, P. C. (2022). Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates. Science, 377(6613), 1440–1444. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo3856

@article{3d0818fd33e54f51aae9b90f96a990bd,

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 from133 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, {Aimee T.} and Paul Eggleton and Kei-ichi Okada and Parr, {Catherine L.} and Adair, {E. Carol} and Stephen Adu-Bredu and Alam, {Md Azharul} and Carolina Alvarez-Garz{\'o}n and Apgaua, {Deborah Mattos Guimar{\~a}es} and Roxana Arag{\'o}n and Marcelo Ard{\'o}n and Stefan Arndt and Ashton, {Louise A.} and Barber, {Nicholas A.} and Jacques Beauch{\^e}ne and Berg, {Matty P.} and Jason Beringer and Matthias Boer 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} Mouro} 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 Lara, {Mariana Guerra} and Motohiro Hasegawa and Hefting, {Mariet M.} and Nina Hinko-Najera and Tim Lardner and Liddell, {Michael J.} and Craig MacFarlane and Cate Macinnis-Ng and Mariano, {Ravi F.} and M{\'e}ndez, {M. Soledad} and Meyer, {Wayne S.} and Mori, {Akira S.} and Moura, {Aloysio S.} and Matthew Northwood and Rom{\`a} Ogaya and Rafael Oliveira and Alberto Orgiazz and Juliana Pardo and Guille Peguero and Josep Pe{\~n}uelas and Perez, {Luis I.} and Posada, {Juan M.} and Prada, {Cecilia M.} and Tom{\'a}{\v s} Pr{\'i}vetiv{\'y} and Suzanne Prober and Jonathan Prunier and Quansah, {Gabriel W.} and {Resco de Dios}, Victor and Ronny Richter and Robertson, {Mark P.} and Rocha, {Lucas F.} and R{\'u}a, {Megan A.} and Carolina Sarmiento and Richard Silberstein and Silva, {Mateus Cardoso} and Siqueira, {Fl{\'a}via Freire} and Stillwagon, {Matthew Glenn} and Jacqui Stol and Taylor, {Melanie K.} and Francois Teste and Tng, {David Yue Phin} and David Tucker and Manfred T{\"u}rke and Ulyshen, {Michael D.} and Valverde-Barrantes, {Oscar J.} and {van den Berg}, Eduardo and {van Logtestijn}, {Richard S. P.} and Veen, {G. F (Ciska)} and Vogel, {Jason G.} and Wardlaw, {Timothy J.} and Georg Wiehl and Christian Wirth and Woods, {Michaela J.} and Zalamea, {Paul Camilo}",

year = "2022",

month = sep,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1126/science.abo3856",

language = "English",

volume = "377",

pages = "1440–1444",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE",

number = "6613",

}

Zanne, AE, Flores-Moreno, H, Powell, JR, Cornwell, WK, Dalling, JW, Austin, AT, Classen, AT, Eggleton, P, Okada, K, Parr, CL, Adair, EC, Adu-Bredu, S, Alam, MA, Alvarez-Garzón, C, Apgaua, DMG, Aragón, R, Ardón, M, Arndt, S, Ashton, LA, Barber, NA, Beauchêne, J, Berg, MP, Beringer, J, Boer, M, 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, Lara, MG, Hasegawa, M, Hefting, MM, Hinko-Najera, N, Lardner, T, Liddell, MJ, MacFarlane, C, Macinnis-Ng, C, Mariano, RF, Méndez, MS, Meyer, WS, Mori, AS, Moura, AS, Northwood, M, Ogaya, R, Oliveira, R, Orgiazz, A, Pardo, J, Peguero, G, Peñuelas, J, Perez, LI, Posada, JM, Prada, CM, Prívetivý, T, Prober, S, Prunier, J, Quansah, GW, Resco de Dios, V, Richter, R, Robertson, MP, Rocha, LF, Rúa, MA, Sarmiento, C, Silberstein, R, Silva, MC, Siqueira, FF, Stillwagon, MG, Stol, J, Taylor, MK, Teste, F, Tng, DYP, Tucker, D, Türke, M, Ulyshen, MD, Valverde-Barrantes, OJ, van den Berg, E, van Logtestijn, RSP, Veen, GF, Vogel, JG, Wardlaw, TJ, Wiehl, G, Wirth, C, Woods, MJ & Zalamea, PC 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, Aimee T.

AU - Eggleton, Paul

AU - Okada, Kei-ichi

AU - Parr, Catherine L.

AU - Adair, E. Carol

AU - Adu-Bredu, Stephen

AU - Alam, Md Azharul

AU - Alvarez-Garzón, Carolina

AU - Apgaua, Deborah Mattos Guimarães

AU - Aragón, Roxana

AU - Ardón, Marcelo

AU - Arndt, Stefan

AU - Ashton, Louise A.

AU - Barber, Nicholas A.

AU - Beauchêne, Jacques

AU - Berg, Matty P.

AU - Beringer, Jason

AU - Boer, Matthias

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 Mouro

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 - Lara, Mariana Guerra

AU - Hasegawa, Motohiro

AU - Hefting, Mariet M.

AU - Hinko-Najera, Nina

AU - Lardner, Tim

AU - Liddell, Michael J.

AU - MacFarlane, Craig

AU - Macinnis-Ng, Cate

AU - Mariano, Ravi F.

AU - Méndez, M. Soledad

AU - Meyer, Wayne S.

AU - Mori, Akira S.

AU - Moura, Aloysio S.

AU - Northwood, Matthew

AU - Ogaya, Romà

AU - Oliveira, Rafael

AU - Orgiazz, Alberto

AU - Pardo, Juliana

AU - Peguero, Guille

AU - Peñuelas, Josep

AU - Perez, Luis I.

AU - Posada, Juan M.

AU - Prada, Cecilia M.

AU - Prívetivý, Tomáš

AU - Prober, Suzanne

AU - Prunier, Jonathan

AU - Quansah, Gabriel W.

AU - Resco de Dios, Victor

AU - Richter, Ronny

AU - Robertson, Mark P.

AU - Rocha, Lucas F.

AU - Rúa, Megan A.

AU - Sarmiento, Carolina

AU - Silberstein, Richard

AU - Silva, Mateus Cardoso

AU - Siqueira, Flávia Freire

AU - Stillwagon, Matthew Glenn

AU - Stol, Jacqui

AU - Taylor, Melanie K.

AU - Teste, Francois

AU - Tng, David Yue Phin

AU - Tucker, David

AU - Türke, Manfred

AU - Ulyshen, Michael D.

AU - Valverde-Barrantes, Oscar J.

AU - van den Berg, Eduardo

AU - van Logtestijn, Richard S. P.

AU - Veen, G. F (Ciska)

AU - Vogel, Jason G.

AU - Wardlaw, Timothy J.

AU - Wiehl, Georg

AU - Wirth, Christian

AU - Woods, Michaela J.

AU - Zalamea, Paul Camilo

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 from133 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 from133 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.

U2 - 10.1126/science.abo3856

DO - 10.1126/science.abo3856

M3 - Article

C2 - 36137034

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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