Impact of rubber orchards (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) on termite communities in west of Cote d,Ivoire

Perennial crops influence ecosystems and insect dynamics.The study was carried out to evaluate the influence of rubber orchards age and forest on termite’s diversity and to determine their feeding groups in Tonkpi region of Côte d’Ivoire. Termites were sampled in transects of 100 m long and 10 m wide in 3 classes of rubber orchards (class 1:] 0, 5] years), class 2: ] 5, 10] years and class 3: ] 10, 15] years) in comparison to forest. Termites harvested at four trophic groups: wood-feeders, grass/litter feeders, fungus-growers and soil-feeders. A total of 09 species of termites belonging to 09 genera and 4 sub-families were collected in all the study plots. The Cubitermitinae and Macrotermitinae families were more diversified with 3 genera of termite. In young rubber orchards (]0, 5] years old) and in rubber orchards of class 3, a total of 5 species of termites were collected. Class 2 recorded the lowest diversity with 4 genera of termites collected. Forest recorded the highest diversity with 7 genera of termites collected. The termite attacks decreases progressively with the age and were between 8 to 82%. The number of termite’s mounds increased with the dry vegetables occurred in rubber orchards. We recommended that the combination of other plants to rubber crops for the termite’s diversity conservation