Termite and soil environment

在亚热带和热带森林系统中，白蚁在木屑分解、植物养分循环和土壤环境改善等方面发挥着重要作用。本研究在日本冲绳县的Iriomote岛进行，目的是研究1)由高等白蚁（Odontotermes formosanus, Shiraki）制成的真菌园的有机成分及其水解酶（如纤维素酶和磷酸酶）的动态，2)木材分解过程中土壤带入木材的过程和作用，以及3)木材分解过程中填充物土壤的酶特性。

Termites have an important role in decomposition processes of wood debris, cycle of plant nutrients and amelioration of soil environments in sub-tropical and tropical forest systems.This project has been carried out in Iriomote Island, Okinawa in order to elucidate 1) the organic components of fungus garden made by higher temite, Odontotermes formosanus (Shiraki), and their dynamics of hydrolytic enzymes, such as cellulase and phosphatase, 2) the processes and the roles bf the soils carried into the wood materials during the wood decomposition, and 3) the enzymatic characteristics of packed soils in the decomposing wood.