Termite Research Paper
Presence of nitrogen fixing Klebsiella pneumoniae in the gut of the Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) (p3297)
A Review by: Mark Edge (Faith & Jaelen Love You)
Because the Formosan termite is an economically important pest. Researchers are concentrating efforts on understanding the details of their physiology. Before the late 80’s early 90’s not much physiological research was concentrated toward any one species of termite outside of general physical characteristic, anatomy, and physiology. In reading early text books about termites there seems to be a clumping together of termite anatomy description and no single distinguishment out side on nesting habits and appearance. Termites however are beneficial eusocial insects …show more content…
Researchers isolate K. pneumoniae from the gut of Formosan termites and have found it to grow in nitrogen free medium with nitrogen gas in the headspace under anaerobic condition (p3298). Ammonia analysis showed a significant amount of ammonia in the culture medium (p3299). This finding suggests that K. pneumoniae has the ability to grow and fix nitrogen under anaerobic condition (p3299) hence forth the gut of a Formosan termite. Researcher’s hypothesis to develop a control measure to kill K. pneumoniae in order to disrupt termite digestive process and thereby lead to the deaths of Formosan termites. In conclusion researchers have proven the existence of K. pneumoniae in the termite gut (for the specimens they tested); however are skeptical of if the bacterium is consistently found in Formosan termites that infest other environments (p3299). This is the first study of the role of K. pneumoniae in the Formosan Termite gut (p3297). Further research is needed to better understand the ecology of K. pneumoniae (p3297) and all the details of microbes and their digestive functions. The research collaboration between physiologist, microbiologist, entomologist and state agencies are a stepping stone leading to natural biological control of a pest that has been essentially unstoppable by conventional (chemical pesticidal)
A Review by: Mark Edge (Faith & Jaelen Love You)
Because the Formosan termite is an economically important pest. Researchers are concentrating efforts on understanding the details of their physiology. Before the late 80’s early 90’s not much physiological research was concentrated toward any one species of termite outside of general physical characteristic, anatomy, and physiology. In reading early text books about termites there seems to be a clumping together of termite anatomy description and no single distinguishment out side on nesting habits and appearance. Termites however are beneficial eusocial insects …show more content…
Researchers isolate K. pneumoniae from the gut of Formosan termites and have found it to grow in nitrogen free medium with nitrogen gas in the headspace under anaerobic condition (p3298). Ammonia analysis showed a significant amount of ammonia in the culture medium (p3299). This finding suggests that K. pneumoniae has the ability to grow and fix nitrogen under anaerobic condition (p3299) hence forth the gut of a Formosan termite. Researcher’s hypothesis to develop a control measure to kill K. pneumoniae in order to disrupt termite digestive process and thereby lead to the deaths of Formosan termites. In conclusion researchers have proven the existence of K. pneumoniae in the termite gut (for the specimens they tested); however are skeptical of if the bacterium is consistently found in Formosan termites that infest other environments (p3299). This is the first study of the role of K. pneumoniae in the Formosan Termite gut (p3297). Further research is needed to better understand the ecology of K. pneumoniae (p3297) and all the details of microbes and their digestive functions. The research collaboration between physiologist, microbiologist, entomologist and state agencies are a stepping stone leading to natural biological control of a pest that has been essentially unstoppable by conventional (chemical pesticidal)