Fun Fact #47: It has been found that with higher levels of ants and termites there is also an increase in plant crop yield. Now we already know that soil fauna can help with soil aeration and structure as well as water infiltration which help crop yield and these new studies have underlined that. What we also suspect now is that termites have a nitrogen fixing capability much like that of legumes which helps with crop yield. Like legumes termites are able to fix nitrogen into the soil with the help of bacteria, the main difference is that the bacteria live in the termites gut.

Question

trancenova · Answer

Nitrogen fixation in termites is known to have a large effect on nitrogen fixation in natural ecosystems but now it is though that it can be used in agricultural systems too. Sources: http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v2/n3/full/ncomms1257.html and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12770053

nebi · Answer

Thats cool. Thanks for the fun facts.

trancenova · Answer

No worries Nebi :D Well I'll keep them coming!