2002). Compaction and changes in soil composition with disturbance (Nye and Greenland 1964) are also likely to

affect termite nesting and feeding negatively (Eggleton et al. 1997). Dead wood feeders and fungus-growing termites in Groups I and IIF did not show as much difference in occurrence in disturbed sites as soil feeders, and had weaker correlations with disturbance-associated variables in the RDA than Group III. Higher exoskeleton sclerotisation of Group I/IIF termites provides resistance to desiccation in open habitats. Similarly, feeding on wood provides more energy per unit of substrate BI2536 than soil, giving greater energetic resilience to a varying microclimate. Group II termites are also predominantly wood feeders, and are moderately sclerotised, perhaps explaining why their decline over the disturbance gradient was less dramatic than the poorly sclerotised soil feeders. Wood feeding termites have also been found to be more resilient to disturbance and habitat conversion than soil feeders in West Africa and

Sumatra (Eggleton et al. 1995, 2002, Jones et al. 2003). Changes in assemblage composition with habitat disturbance may disrupt ecosystem functions. EX 527 in vitro The consistently strong negative response of all termite groups, may lead to a decline in decomposition rates. The only study to consider this to date (Foster et al. 2011), shows that leaf litter breakdown remains constant along a similar habitat disturbance gradient, and thus does not support this hypothesis. However, leaf litter may not be representative of the functioning of the whole system, because termites feed on a range of organic material, and leaves may only be a small part of that system (Eggleton et al. 1997). Furthermore, leaf litter is consumed by a wide range of other invertebrates. In addition, the majority of decomposition in oil palm plantations is conducted by only a single termite species (Macrotermes gilvus) (Foster et al. 2011) indicating low levels of functional redundancy, and high vulnerability of ecosystem

functioning to species loss. Interleukin-2 receptor The differences in ant functional group occurrence were more varied, and so any changes in ecosystem functioning that might occur may be more subtle. Some Dominant Dolichoderinae are predators of invertebrate herbivores, so higher buy MK5108 abundances of them in disturbed habitats may benefit plantations. However, other Dominant Dolichoderinae also tend phytophagous insects, which could be herbivores of oil palm (Wielgoss et al. 2014). Some non-native Tropical-climate Specialists (e.g. the yellow crazy ant Anoplolepis gracilipes), may supress herbivores (Blüthgen and Feldhaar 2010). Conversely, predation by Specialist Predators of specific groups (e.g. termites) may decline with disturbance. Other functions, such as soil turnover and scavenger mediated nutrient redistribution (Fayle et al.