title: Nitrogen sources for neotropical nasute termites: Fixation and selective foraging.
abstract: Studies with Nasutitermes and Rhynchotermes (Isoptera, Nasutitermitinae) in a Costa Rican rainforest suggest that nitrogen fixation by gut symbionts may play a significant role in termite nutrition. Leaf-litter feeders ingest more and fix less nitrogen than do wood-litter feeders; both species feed preferentially on N-rich foods in their foraging repertoire. Unusually high N2fixation (acetylene reduction) rates were found in Nasutitermes soldiers, thereby reducing their nutritional dependence on workers. Finally, N2fixation rates of termites diminished rapidly within 24 h after removal of a colony from the field, underlining the importance of conducting future N2fixation studies under field conditions.
authors.affiliation: La Selva Field Station of the Organisation for Tropical Studies, Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Prestwich
authors.affiliation: La Selva Field Station of the Organisation for Tropical Studies, Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.affiliation: La Selva Field Station of the Organisation for Tropical Studies, Heredia Province, Costa Rica.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Carpenter