Termite (Blattodea: Isoptera) Distribution Along an Elevational Gradient in Northwestern African Mountains

Abstract

We examined the distribution of termites along an elevational gradient in the western Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. Sampling followed standardized protocols at nine forest sites (125, 325, 488, 715, 850, 1150, 1316, 1544, and 1700 masl), all except the lowest site within the Intercontinental Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve. We found a total of three termite species, with Reticulitermes grassei (Rhinotermitidae) being the most abundant, followed by Kalotermes flavicollis (Kalotermitinae) and Amitermes sp. (Terminidae). Comparing microhabitat preferences, we found R. grassei and Amitermes sp. exclusively in buried wood and under rocks, and K. flavicollis exclusively in dead tree trunks and surface wood. The findings reveal the distribution of microhabitats along an elevation gradient and the corresponding preferences of termite species across these microhabitats. We found that total termite density decreased significantly with elevation (rs = −0.40; p < 0.001), but with distinct differences among species. Kalotermes flavicollis and Amitermes sp. showed a strong negative correlation between density and elevation. In contrast, for R. grassei, the most common termite, we found no significant correlation. Termite density also varied among forest types, with a non-significant trend (p = 0.075) of higher density in the cork oak forest (hits/m2 = 0.06) compared to holm oak (0.04) and fir–cedar (0.02) forests. This research contributes to the limited knowledge of termite diversity and ecology in northern Africa and western Mediterranean forests.