Termite species richness, composition and diversity on five farms in southern Kunene region, Namibia

Abstract

A survey was conducted on five farms in former Damaraland, a communal farming area in arid northwestern Namibia. The aims of the survey were to establish termite inventories for each site and to investigate whether termite diversity is determined by land-use history and land-use intensity. Overall, termite diversity in western Namibia is low. The Shannon Index ranged from 0–1.46. Diversity was generally higher at sites under relatively low land-use intensity. On the farm with the most arid climatic  conditions, this relationship was reversed, probably as dung and other resource inputs were relatively high at the higher land-use intensity site. Termite species assemblages differed between the various farms, as well as across the land-use intensity gradients. Whether this was attributable to differing environmental parameters or land-use histories was not clearly discernible.

Key words: biodiversity, termites, arid environments, land use.