Characteristics of Termite Mound Soils and its Adjoining Soils in and around Ippatla Asbestos Mineralized Area, Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

An investigation on varied types of termite mounds relative to the nearby soils that are not inhabited by the termites in and around Ippatla asbestos mineralized area of Kadapa district show that the activity of the termites is increasing the contents of organic matter, electrical conductivity and pH in the termite mounds. The physical and physico-chemical properties of termite mound soils such as bulk density, organic matter, electrical conductivity and pH were studied and compared with its corresponding adjacent surface soils unaffected by termite activity. The termite mounds soil contains higher organic matter, pH and electrical conductivity than that of their adjacent surface soils, where as bulk density of termite mounds are lower than that of the surface soils. The variations in the physical and physico-chemical properties of termite soils and soils are attributed to the variations in associated vegetation types and the microbial activity of the mounds. Hence the physical and physico-chemical properties of these biologically reworked soils are different from the source material used for mound construction.