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Evaluation of the effect of zwitterionic buffers on termite gut protists
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10933
The thermal modification of wood is recognized as the most commercialized wood modification process. The treatment of wood at temperatures usually greater than 180 ºC results in a product with some properties enhanced (dimensional stability, durability, aesthetical colour) and some diminished (mechanical properties). The loss of mechanical strength is recognized as a limitation to the use of ther...
S Duarte, D Jones, L Nunes


Effect of Rifampin on gut symbiotic bacteria isolated from Anacanthotermes vagans Hagen (Isoptera: Hodotermitidae)
2014 - IRG 14-10835
Termites thrive in terrestrial ecosystems and play an important role in bio-recycling of the lignocellulosic biomass, that is a mixture of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. However, these insects become pests when they interfere with human interests related to wood/cellulose products, attacking structural timber, furniture and paper products. Sustainable management of subterranean termites usin...
B Habibpour, M Jalali, D Gharibi


Effects of geographical and dietary variation on the symbiotic flagellate protists communities of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes grassei Clément
2015 - IRG/WP 15-10847
Despite their importance on diverse ecosystems, termites may also be considered severe pests of wood in service, and also as agricultural and forestry pests. Subterranean termites’ ability to digest lignocellulose relies not only on their digestive tract physiology, but also on the symbiotic relationships established with flagellate protists and bacteria. In this tripartite lignocellulolytic sy...
S Duarte, M Duarte, P A V Borges, L Nunes


Response of the symbiotic flagellate protists community of subterranean termites to sublethal amounts of biocides
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10911
Subterranean termites are quite efficient at extracting nutrients from lignocellulose. Their ability relies not only on the digestive tract physiology but also on symbiotic relationships established with flagellate protists and bacteria. This work aimed to screen the response of the flagellate protists community of the subterranean termite Reticulitermes grassei Clément to the ingestion of differ...
S Duarte, T Nobre, P Borges, L Nunes


Biological resistance of phenol-resin treated wood
1990 - IRG/WP 3602
Biological resistance of PF (phenol formaldehyde resin) - treated wood has been tested in relation to the resin properties, wood species and biological factors. When tested using water-soluble PF (mol. wt. 170), ca. 10% RI (resin impregnation) was enough to suppress the decay of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) blocks exposed to Tyromyces palustris (br...
M Takahashi, Y Imamura


The rôle of lignin in the nutrition of several Australian termites
1983 - IRG/WP 1191
The ability of Nasutitermes exitiosus (Hill), Coptotermes acinaciformis (Frogatt), Coptotermes lacteus (Froggatt) and Mastotermes darwiniensis (Froggatt) to degrade 14C-lignin preparations was examined. The lower termites were unable to degrade lignin. Nasutitermes exitiosus was able to cause a 5-8% degradation of hardwood lignins and a synthetic lignin. It failed to degrade the lignin of Pinus ra...
L J Cookson


Distribution of the three symbiotic protozoa in Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
1993 - IRG/WP 93-10010
Six colonies (three each from laboratory and field) of Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, were served for investigating the abundance and distribution of three symbiotic protozoa in the hindgut of workers. The total protozoan number amounted to 6,000-10,000 per a worker, and the order of the abundance of the three protozoa and the proportional distribution of each speci...
T Yoshimura, K Tsunoda, M Takahashi


Ingestion of wood-degrading micro-organisms
1991 - IRG/WP 4169
An ultrastructural study was carried out on the digestive tract contents of Limnoria lignorum, frass, gallery walls and surface structures of the animals. The purpose of the study was to determine whether wood-degrading bacteria, fungi and other microbes and/or wood degraded by these microbes were present in gut regions and therefore could provide indirectly a nutritional source for Limnoria. Both...
G F Daniel, S M Cragg, T Nilsson


The effect of boric acid on the protozoan numbers of the subterranean termite, Reticulitermes lucifugus
1996 - IRG/WP 96-10148
Lower termites harbor in their guts populations of microorganisms known to be indispensable for their survival, being responsible, at least partially, for the digestion of cellulose, the main item of termites'diet. The Reticulitermes species in particular harbor in their hindguts some unique intestinal fauna, for instance protozoa belonging to the genera Pyrsonympha, Dinenympha and Trycho...
L Nunes, D J Dickinson


Detrimental effects of boric acid on symbiotic protozoa in Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)
2000 - IRG/WP 00-10366
In laboratory choice bioassays, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki were offered a tunneling soil consisting of boric acid (BA) mixed with sterilized soil at concentrations of 0.05, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, or 4.00 percent AI (wt:wt). Termites could choose to remain in their main nest that contained non-treated artificial substrate and adequate food, or tunnel throug...
B M Kard


The functional anatomy of the digestive caecae and gut residence times for the marine wood borer Limnoria (Crustacea: Isopoda)
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10204
A scanning and transmission electron microscope study of the digestive caecae of the marine wood boring isopods Limnoria tripunctata and Limnoria quadripunctata, was undertaken. Two cell types were identified, containing structures indicative of absorption, secretion and storage. Cell types were distinguished according to size, the largest cell type having a large free surface area, a well develop...
C Wykes, S M Cragg, A J Pitman


Transfer of Termiticidal Dust Compounds and their Effects on Symbiotic Protozoa of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar)
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10661
Dusting of termites in situ has been used as a control measure for decades; however environmental awareness of the toxicity of certain compounds now limits their use (eg arsenical dusts). Our laboratory is in the process of suppressing an isolated colony of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) from a small village of 250 homes in mid-central Wisconsin (Endeavor, WI). Initial treatment of the colony in...
F Green III, R A Arango, G Esenther


Changes in bacterial gut community of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) and Reticulitermes tibialis banks after feeding on termiticidal bait material
2014 - IRG/WP 14-10819
In this study, 454-pyrosequencing was used to evaluate the effect of two termiticidal baits, hexaflumuron and diflubenzuron, on the bacterial gut community in two Reticulitermes flavipes colonies and one Reticulitermes tibialis colony. Results showed two bacterial groups to be most abundant in the gut, the Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes, both of which do not appear to be adversely affected by bait...
R A Arango, F Green III, K F Raffa


Diversity of hindgut symbiotic flagellate protist communities of the European subterranean termite in Portugal
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10875
The flagellate protist communities are an important part of the termite, as they lead the lignocellulose digestion. Termites (Reticulitermes grassei) were sampled from forest and urban environments in mainland Portugal where they are native and in Faial Island, Azores (invasive populations). Termites’ gut contents was analysed morphologically and the diversity of the flagellate protist community...
S Duarte, T Nobre, M Duarte, P A V Borges, L Nunes


Evaluating the role of Actinobacteria in the gut of wood-feeding termites (Reticulitermes spp.)
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10880
Nitrogen has been shown to be a limiting nutrient across a range of xylophagous insects. These insects often rely on symbiotic microorganisms in the gut for nitrogen acquisition, via fixation of atmospheric nitrogen or break down of other available nitrogenous substances. In phylogenetically lower, wood-feeding termites, the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria has been well studied. However, there is...
Evaluating the role of Actinobacteria in the gut of wood-feeding termites (Reticulitermes spp.)


Application of nano metal fluorides against termites
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30733
Recent research has shown that fluorides such as NaF have potential as a wood preservative against termite attack (Pan and Wang, 2015). However, NaF has high leaching susceptibility because of its solubility (40 g/l ) which can reduce its efficacy over long term. Metal fluoride nanoparticles such as MgF2 and CaF2 present a viable alternative to water soluble fluoride-based wood preservatives as th...
S M Usmani, K Klutzny, Y de Laval, R Plarre, D McMahon, I Stephan, T Hübert, E Kemnitz