Termite species richness in fire-prone and fire-protected dry deciduous dipterocarp forest in Doi Suthep-Pui National Park, northern Thailand

The interaction of fire and termites is poorly known for Asian ecosystems, but African studies show they have complementary roles in the removal of wood and leaf litter. Termites are the dominant arthropod decomposers in tropical forests and savannas, and are important mediators of carbon flux. Furthermore, these functions are dependent on the species assemblage structure of the termite community. To date, the only study of the effects of fire on termite species richness and abundance is from Australia (Abensperg-Traun & Milewski 1995). Here, a preliminary survey of species richness of termites in fire-protected and fire-prone deciduous forest in northern Thailand is presented. The study suggests that the fungus-growing Macrotermitinae have a greater species richness, under certain seasonal fire regimes, compared to those in areas under complete fire protection.