TURNOVER IN THE POPULATIONS WITHIN MATURE NESTS OF THE TERMITE MACROTERMES-MICHAELSENI IN KENYA

Production in mature termite nests consists of a seasonal brood of reproductives and a continuous turnover of steriles. The sterile population of the nest remained fairly constant, with no regular seasonal fluctuations. Growth rates of steriles were estimated by interrupting the input and following the "missing cohort". Estimated mean values of standing crop biomass and annual production in a mature nest were used to calculate a production-to-biomass ratio. In conjunction with data on the density of nests in the field, the biomass and production per hectare were estimated.