Termites are social insects that are essential decomposers in tropical rain fore

Question

Termites are social insects that are essential decomposers in tropical rain forest Termites may account for up to 95 percent of insect biomass in tropical rain forests. Termites consume vest amounts of dead and decomposing plant material, thanks to the work of ritualistic cellulose-digesting microorganisms that inhabit their guts. In addition to their roles as important decomposers, termites digest plant materials and directly contribute to carbon dioxide and methane emissions into the atmosphere. It is likely that, like many insect species, termites and their symbiont may be sensitive to changes in their microclimate caused by global climate change, especially with regard to temperature and humidity. Respond to the following using the data in the table above, which given the rate of wood consumption by termites, in mg per day per termite, under various temperature and relative humidity conditions. Under optimal conditions, the emission rate of methane by termites is approximately 70 kilograms of CH_4 per year per 1, 000 termites. (i) According to the data, what are the optimal temperature and relative humidity for termite activity? (ii) Given a density of 4.5 times 10^7 termites per hectare and optimal conditions, calculate the annual amount of methane emitted, in kilograms, by the termites inhabiting a 2, 000-hectare tropical rain forest. (iii) Suppose the temperature increases to 35 degree C and the relative humidity decreases to 50 percent. Using the data provided, determine the amount of methane, in kilograms, that would be emitted by the termites in the 2, 000-hectare tropical rain forest. (iv) Explain why the population size of termites is also affected by temperature and humidity. (b) It has been observed that soon after a tropical rain forest is cleared, termite density increases to an estimated 6.8 times 10^7 termites per hectare. Thereafter, the termite population size decreases dramatically. (i) What is the most likely reason that the density of the termites increases when a tropical rain forest is cleared? (ii) Why do the termite populations eventually decrease dramatically? (c) Describe one way, other than changes in termite activity, that tropical rain forest destruction contributes to anthropogenic climate change.

Explanation / Answer

answer- termite is decomposer in tropical rainforest. termite digest plant material and directly contribute to carbon dioxide and methane emission into atmosphere. they are very senitive to climate change. terimite are generally found in tropical region. they are responsible for respiration of 38.4% of total organic carbon stock. they depend on the woods of tropical rain forest for the food. the main reason of the maximun turmite occurence in tropical rainforest is

-warm temperature

- high humidity

- high precipitation

if the tropical rain forest is cleared then there will be very low humidity and less precipitation.amd there will be essintial increase dead plant material and there will be increase in the availabilty of the food for turmite So the population will be increase and their density will also increase.

answer b- but after sometime there will be dramatically decrese in termite density because of non availability of wood for their. all woods will be destroyed when the tropical rain forest is cleared. and then no wood plants will be available on which termite is depend for the food. and also there will be highly increse in upper surface temperature this temperature may exceed the maximum temperature at which the termite can survive. So the population of termite will be dramatically decrese.

answer- tropical rainforest destruction is major impact of anthorpogenic climate change. there many cause due to which there is destruction of tropical rain forest

- deforestation

- shifting agriculture

- set up of mining industries in tropical forest region

the destruction of tropical forest leads to increse to the annual atmospheric temperature because the there will be dense forest which reduce the surface temperature by not allowing the solar radiation to reach the surface and also this destruction also leads to less precipitation. there will be no rainfall in that region.

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