Living Library | Termites

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Living Library | Termites
WildWatch.com

Efficient Decomposers
Termites typically feed on dead plant material such as wood, bark and straw, being able to digest woody fibres with the help of bacteria that live in their stomachs. Acting as highly efficient decomposers, the termites return the plant nutrients to the soil through their faeces and saliva. Lacking pigment and a protective exoskeleton, termites operate mostly underground, but some species forage above ground after dark. In some parts of Africa, there may be as many as 10 000 termites to a square metre of soil surface, so it is not surprising that these insects also feature in the diet of numerous other species.

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