Termites may be the foe of wood flooring professionals everywhere, but it turns out the irritating insect could be the future savior of the rainforest.
A report published in Science Magazine found that termites mitigate the effects of drought in tropical rainforests, as they keep the soil moist and healthy for trees in areas they populate.
The researchers performed the study by removing termites from a section of a rainforest in the Maliau Basin in Borneo and comparing it with areas where termites thrived.
The experiment took place during an extreme drought following the 2015–2016 El Nino.
“We found that termite activity and abundance increased during drought in a Bornean forest,” the study states. “This increase resulted in accelerated litter decomposition, elevated soil moisture…and higher seedling survival rates.”
As scientists anticipate increased drought as the effects of climate change continue, termites could be a factor aiding in the rainforest’s survival.
“They’re like ecological insurance,” Entomologist Hannah Griffiths, one of the study’s authors, told National Geographic.
