Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 6, 2026
10:30
Soil Lysimeter Excavation for Coupled Hydrological, Geochemical, and Microbiological Investigations
Published on: September 11, 2016
11.4K
Lenticular soil mounds in the Kenya highlands
1Section of Entomology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya, Africa.
Oecologia
|March 18, 2017
Summary
Soil mounds in Kenya Highlands grasslands are likely built by termites, not molerats. Research shows these mounds contain active nests of Odontotermes species, challenging previous interpretations.
Area of Science:
- Soil science
- Ecology
- Zoology
Background:
- Soil mounds in Kenya Highlands grasslands have been attributed to subterranean mammals.
- Previous interpretations suggested molerats as the primary architects of these formations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the true origin of soil mounds in Kenyan moist grasslands.
- To determine the role of burrowing animals versus insects in mound construction.
Main Methods:
- Field observations in Kenya Highlands grasslands.
- Examination of soil mound contents.
- Identification of invertebrate species within the mounds.
Main Results:
- Active nests of Odontotermes species (termites) were discovered within the soil mounds.
- Evidence strongly suggests termites are responsible for building these mounds.
- The presence of termite nests refutes the molerat hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- Soil mounds in this specific grassland ecosystem are constructed by termites (Odontotermes spp.).
- This finding necessitates a re-evaluation of soil disturbance patterns attributed to subterranean fauna in the region.
