Termite mounds can increase the robustness of dryland ecosystems to climatic change

Abstract

Termites can stabilize tropical grasslands Spotty vegetation patterns in tropical savannas and grasslands can be a warning sign of imminent desertification. However, Bonachela et al. find that termites can also produce spotty patterns. Their theoretical study, confirmed by field data from Kenya, shows that patterns produced by termite mounds are not harbingers of desertification. Indeed, the presence of termites buffers these ecosystems against climate change. Science , this issue p. 651