Arid
DOI10.1007/s10533-006-9067-x
Calcium carbonate in termite galleries - biomineralization or upward transport?
Liu, X.; Monger, H. C.; Whitford, W. G.
通讯作者Monger, H. C.
来源期刊BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
ISSN0168-2563
出版年2007
卷号82期号:3页码:241-250
英文摘要

Termites and soil calcium carbonate are major factors in the global carbon cycle: termites by their role in decomposition of organic matter and methane production, and soil calcium carbonate by its storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide. In arid and semiarid soils, these two factors potentially come together by means of biomineralization of calcium carbonate by termites. In this study, we evaluated this possibility by testing two hypotheses. Hypothesis 1 states that termites biomineralize calcium carbonate internally and use it as a cementing agent for building aboveground galleries. Hypothesis 2 states that termites transport calcium carbonate particles from subsoil horizons to aboveground termite galleries where the carbonate detritus becomes part of the gallery construction. These hypotheses were tested by using (1) field documentation that determined if carbonate-containing galleries only occurred on soils containing calcic horizons, (2) C-13/C-12 ratios, (3) X-ray diffraction, (4) petrographic thin sections, (5) scanning electron microscopy, and (6) X-ray mapping. Four study sites were evaluated: a C-4-grassland site with no calcic horizons in the underlying soil, a C-4-grassland site with calcic horizons, a C-3-shrubland site with no calcic horizons, and a C-3-shrubland site with calcic horizons. The results revealed that carbonate is not ubiquitously present in termite galleries. It only occurs in galleries if subsoil carbonate exists within a depth of 100 cm. C-13/C-12 ratios of carbonate in termite galleries typically matched C-13/C-12 ratios of subsoil carbonate. X-ray diffraction revealed that the carbonate mineralogy is calcite in all galleries, in all soils, and in the termites themselves. Thin sections, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray mapping revealed that carbonate exists in the termite gut along with other soil particles and plant opal. Each test argued against the biomineralization hypothesis and for the upward-transport hypothesis. We conclude, therefore, that the gallery carbonate originated from upward transport and that this CaCO3 plays a less active role in short-term carbon sequestration than it would have otherwise played if it had been biomineralized directly by the termites.


英文关键词atmospheric carbon dioxide arid and semiarid soils carbon isotopes carbon sequestration Chihuahuan Desert pedogenic carbonate
类型Article
语种英语
国家USA
收录类别SCI-E
WOS记录号WOS:000244994300003
WOS关键词CHEMICAL-PROPERTIES ; DESERT SOILS ; CALICHE ; MOUNDS
WOS类目Environmental Sciences ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
WOS研究方向Environmental Sciences & Ecology ; Geology
来源机构New Mexico State University
资源类型期刊论文
条目标识符http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/153648
作者单位(1)New Mexico State Univ, Dept Plant & Environm Sci, Las Cruces, NM 88003 USA;(2)USDA Agr Res Serv, Jornada Expt Range, Las Cruces, NM 88003 USA
推荐引用方式
GB/T 7714
Liu, X.,Monger, H. C.,Whitford, W. G.. Calcium carbonate in termite galleries - biomineralization or upward transport?[J]. New Mexico State University,2007,82(3):241-250.
APA Liu, X.,Monger, H. C.,&Whitford, W. G..(2007).Calcium carbonate in termite galleries - biomineralization or upward transport?.BIOGEOCHEMISTRY,82(3),241-250.
MLA Liu, X.,et al."Calcium carbonate in termite galleries - biomineralization or upward transport?".BIOGEOCHEMISTRY 82.3(2007):241-250.
条目包含的文件
条目无相关文件。
个性服务
推荐该条目
保存到收藏夹
导出为Endnote文件
谷歌学术
谷歌学术中相似的文章
[Liu, X.]的文章
[Monger, H. C.]的文章
[Whitford, W. G.]的文章
百度学术
百度学术中相似的文章
[Liu, X.]的文章
[Monger, H. C.]的文章
[Whitford, W. G.]的文章
必应学术
必应学术中相似的文章
[Liu, X.]的文章
[Monger, H. C.]的文章
[Whitford, W. G.]的文章
相关权益政策
暂无数据
收藏/分享

除非特别说明,本系统中所有内容都受版权保护,并保留所有权利。