Indigenous utilization of termite mounds and their sustainability in a rice growing village of the central plain of Laos

Background The objective of this study was to investigate the indigenous utilization of termite mounds and termites in a rain-fed rice growing village in the central plain of Laos, where rice production is low and varies year-to-year, and to assess the possibility of sustainable termite mound utilization in the future. This research was carried out from 2007 to 2009. Methods The termites were collected from their mounds and surrounding areas and identified. Twenty villagers were interviewed on their use of termites and their mounds in the village. Sixty-three mounds were measured to determine their dimensions in early March, early July and middle to late November, 2009. Results Eleven species of Termitidae were recorded during the survey period. It was found that the villagers use termite mounds as fertilizer for growing rice, vegetable beds and charcoal kilns. The villagers collected termites for food and as feed for breeding fish. Over the survey period, 81% of the mounds surveyed increased in volume; however, the volume was estimated to decrease by 0.114 m3 mound-1 year-1 on average due to several mounds being completely cut out. Conclusion It was concluded that current mound utilization by villagers is not sustainable. To ensure sustainable termite utilization in the future, studies should be conducted to enhance factors that promote mound restoration by termites. Furthermore, it will be necessary to improve mound conservation methods used by the villagers after changes in the soil mass of mounds in paddy fields and forests has been measured accurately. The socio-economic factors that affect mound utilization should also be studied

Agroforestry · Biodiversity · Biology · Geography · Indigenous · Termitidae · Animal and Plant Science Education · Environmental Science · Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior · Insect Utilization and Effects · Plant and animal studies · Plant and Biological Electrophysiology Studies · Ecology

• Farmers’ knowledge and use of soil fauna in agriculture

  Open Access•Natasha Pauli, Lynette K Abbott et al.•Conservation Ecology•2016

  Añadir item

• Islands of fertility

  James Farr•World Archaeology•2021

  Añadir item

• Farmers' perception of termites in agriculture production and their indigenous utilization in Northwest Benin

  Open Access•Laura Estelle Yêyinou Loko, Azize Orobiyi et al.•Journal of Ethnobiology and…•2017

  Añadir item

• On Trees in Paddy Fields in Northern Thailand

  Open Access•Hiroyuki Watanabe, Kenichi Abe et al.•Tōnan Ajia Kenkyū/Tonan ajia kenkyu•1990

  Añadir item

• Time-geographic Analysis on Natural Resource Use in a Village of the Vientiane Plain

  Open Access•Yuichiro Nishimura, Kohei Okamoto et al.•Tōnan Ajia Kenkyū/Tonan ajia kenkyu•2010

  Añadir item