Close Menu
  • Last News
    • Cities
    • Climate
    • Energy
    • Impact
    • Markets
    • Opinions
    • Policy
    • Reports
    • Research
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of China's Three-Body Computing Constellation satellites performing data processing in space, generated by artificial intelligence.
“They’re Putting It in Space to Dominate”: China’s Orbital Supercomputer Leaves Global Tech Powers Scrambling to Catch Up
Illustration of a newly discovered species of giant anaconda in the Ecuadorian Amazon, created by artificial intelligence.
“We Thought It Was a Log—Then It Moved”: Record-Breaking Anaconda Discovered on Will Smith’s Amazon Expedition Shocks Crew
Illustration of the discovery of a massive gold reserve beneath China's Hunan Province, generated by artificial intelligence.
Secret Gold Megatrove Revealed: Massive $84 Billion Deposit Unearthed by Experts in One of the World’s Richest Soil Zones
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
Sustainability Times
Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
Subscribe
  • Featured
  • Cities
    Illustration of Toronto's urban forest transformation with natural wetlands and diverse wildlife. Image generated by AI.

    Toronto’s Stunning Green Revolution Turns Canada’s Largest Metropolis Into a Vast Urban Forest Visible From Space

    July 1, 2025 at 4:01 PM
    Illustration of Downtown Residences skyscraper in Dubai's Business Bay area. Image generated by AI.

    “Tallest Home in the Sky”: Dubai’s 1,500-Foot Residential Tower Set to Shatter Records and Completely Transform the Urban Skyline

    June 14, 2025 at 4:11 PM
    Illustration of Egypt's ambitious Jirian urban development project featuring an artificial Nile canal. Image generated by AI.

    “Egypt’s Visionary Project Unveiled”: Skyscrapers Rising Amidst the Desert and Beside the Pyramids as Revolutionary New City Takes Shape

    June 11, 2025 at 10:00 AM
    Illustration of Saudi Arabia's futuristic Line project stretching across the desert. Image generated by AI.

    “Saudi Mega-Skyscraper Turns Deadly”: This 105-Mile Structure Threatens to Annihilate Migratory Birds on a Catastrophic Scale

    June 10, 2025 at 10:10 AM
    Illustration of Archer Aviation's Midnight eVTOL air taxi flying over Los Angeles during the 2028 Olympics. Image generated by AI.

    Flying Over LA Gridlock: These American Air Taxis Promise a Spectacular Debut During the 2028 Olympic Games

    May 20, 2025 at 4:07 PM
  • Climate
    Illustration of the New World screwworm threatening livestock and human health, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They’re Melting Living Flesh in Hours”: Scientists Horrified as Swarm of Flesh-Eating Flies Begins Rapid Takeover of U.S.

    July 19, 2025 at 4:55 PM
    Illustration of the extreme heat wave impacting the eastern United States, highlighting climate change effects.

    “This Heat Is Killing Everything”: Apocalyptic Wave Now Suffocates Half the U.S. as Cities Burn Under Relentless, Record-Breaking Temperatures

    July 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM
    Illustration of the early beginnings of the Anthropocene and its impact on Earth's climate and ecosystems, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They’re Erasing Us From the Timeline”: Scientists Furious as the Human Epoch Is Denied Official Status Despite Clear Start Date

    July 19, 2025 at 9:12 AM
    Illustration of the potential reawakening of dormant subglacial volcanoes due to glacial melting, created by artificial intelligence.

    “Humanity Has Lit the Fuse”: Scientists Terrified as Hundreds of Dormant Volcanoes Threaten to Explode Due to Climate Chaos

    July 18, 2025 at 6:13 AM
    Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's superyacht, Launchpad, as a symbol of luxury and climate controversy.

    “They Call This Eco-Conscious?”: Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 Million Superyacht Sparks Outrage as Climate Hypocrisy Reaches Absurd New High

    July 16, 2025 at 6:04 PM
  • Energy
    Illustration of humanoid and quadruped robots revolutionizing shipbuilding through automation, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They Weld Better Than Humans”: Hyundai Stuns Industry by Deploying German Humanoid Robots in Shipyard for Precision Welding Tasks

    July 18, 2025 at 8:03 AM
    Illustration of the world's most powerful floating wind turbine developed in China, capable of powering 40,000 homes annually.

    “We Built a Power Plant That Floats”: Engineers Stunned as World’s Largest Wind Turbine Lights Up 40,000 Homes Without Touching Land

    July 18, 2025 at 7:09 AM
    Illustration of Singapore's Tuas mega port poised to become the world's largest automated container terminal.

    “They’re Moving 65 Million Without Humans”: World’s Largest Automated Port Set to Rewrite the Rules of Global Shipping Forever

    July 17, 2025 at 4:51 PM
    Illustration of Deep Fission's underground micro-reactors powering data centers, generated by artificial intelligence.

    Buried Reactors, Silent Power: Deep Fission’s Radical Nuclear Plan Could Revolutionize How the World Feeds Its Data Machines

    July 17, 2025 at 3:52 PM
    Illustration of China's new maglev train reaching speeds of 373 mph, an artificial illustration.

    “They’re Not Supposed to Be This Fast”: China’s Maglev Shockingly Nears Japan’s Bullet Train Speeds in High-Stakes Tech Showdown

    July 17, 2025 at 8:49 AM
  • Impact
    Illustration of the growing use of artificial intelligence in education and its impact on transparency.

    “They Blamed the Students—But It Was Us”: Professors Caught Using ChatGPT as Secret Weapon While Cracking Down on Classroom Cheating

    July 18, 2025 at 4:10 PM
    Illustration of an asteroid on a collision course with the Moon in 2032, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “It’s Going to Shatter the Moon!”: Scientists Brace for 2032 Asteroid Impact That Could Ignite Earth’s Skies with Apocalyptic Fury

    July 16, 2025 at 8:56 AM
    Illustration of Mark Zuckerberg's luxury yacht adventure in Norway's fjords, created by artificial intelligence.

    “He Spent Millions for a Single Thrill”: Zuckerberg Crosses 5,300 Miles on Twin Superyachts, Helicopters to a Peak, and Skis Down Like No One Else

    July 12, 2025 at 9:48 AM
    Illustration of the Streetwing flying car designed by Dezső Molnár for sustainable transportation, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Flying Car Opened Up a Whole New World for Me”: Streetwing’s Daring Design Ignites the Next Chapter in Pure Personal Exploration

    July 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
    Illustration of a laser-based mosquito defense system neutralizing mosquitoes, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Terrifying Death Ray Unleashed!”: China’s Laser Mosquito Defense System Annihilates 30 Bloodthirsty Pests Every Second, Astonishing Global Scientists

    July 9, 2025 at 4:00 PM
  • Markets
    Illustration of a colossal 55 billion-ton iron ore deposit discovery in Western Australia. Image generated by AI.

    Worldwide Panic as Monumental Geological Find Disrupts Global Trade and Triggers Market Turmoil on Every Continent

    June 4, 2025 at 4:53 PM

    Most sources of protein in the US contain vast quantities of microplastics

    January 11, 2024 at 5:47 AM

    Banking on change: How your accounts have climate impact

    December 26, 2023 at 7:13 PM

    Sparxell’s glitter is golden with nature-based color, design

    December 19, 2023 at 9:29 PM

    Lab-grown coffee tastes pretty darn good, scientists say

    December 12, 2023 at 10:42 PM
  • Opinions
    Illustration of the theoretical comparison between Earth's habitability and Mars' colonization prospects, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Elon, Mars Is a Hellhole”: Astrophysicist Slams Musk’s Vision, Says Even Nuclear Apocalypse Makes Earth a Safer Bet

    July 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
    Illustration of Millie, the 30-year-old tortoiseshell cat, enjoying a special cream cake on her birthday, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Bottled Water Saved Her Life”: World’s Oldest Cat Millie Thrives at Age 30 by Drinking Only Premium Water, Stunning Veterinarians Everywhere

    July 12, 2025 at 5:57 PM
    Illustration of Mars colonization vision challenged by expert, highlighting Earth's superior habitability, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “Elon Musk, You’re Ignoring the Truth”: Astrophysicist’s Startling Claim—Earth Would Remain a Paradise Compared to Mars After Nuclear Apocalypse

    July 10, 2025 at 4:56 PM

    Smoke, Mirrors, and Smears: Inside the Campaign Against Gaurav Srivastava (Review)

    May 14, 2025 at 10:45 AM

    Nathan Law and the High Cost of Dissent: A Review of Targeted, Episode 3

    May 13, 2025 at 9:46 AM
  • Policy
    Illustration of a futuristic Chinese fighter jet, believed to be the J-36, soaring over a busy highway, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They Just Flew It in Broad Daylight”: China’s Secret 6th-Gen Fighter Jet Stuns Drivers as It Soars Over Crowded Highway

    July 17, 2025 at 10:01 AM
    Illustration of China's colossal underground military command center near Beijing, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “These Images Will Keep You Awake at Night”: China’s Colossal Military Mega-Project Exposed as Satellite Photos Reveal a 1,200-Acre Fortress in the Making

    July 13, 2025 at 8:00 AM
    Illustration of a legislative debate on banning octopus farming, highlighting environmental and ethical concerns, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They’re Smarter Than Dogs!”: Furious North Carolina Bill Launches All-Out War on Octopus Farming, Leaving Shocked Families and Multimillion-Dollar Businesses in Chaos

    July 9, 2025 at 5:55 AM
    Illustration of the Canadian government's decision to freeze Tesla subsidies amid legal controversy. Image generated by AI.

    “We’re Not Paying a Cent”: Canada Freezes $40 Million in Aid and Declares War on Tesla’s Controversial Operations

    July 7, 2025 at 4:58 PM
    Illustration of OpenAI's efforts in regulating AI for biological safety. Image generated by AI.

    “OpenAI Pulls Emergency Brake”: This Terrifying AI Showed Signs It Could Design Real-World Biological Weapons From Scratch

    July 1, 2025 at 6:10 AM
  • Reports
    Illustration of the SABRE South Collaboration’s experimental setup for detecting dark matter in the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “Scientists Stunned by Mysterious Light”: Bold Experiment Uses 4-Inch Glowing Crystal Core to Unveil Secrets of Elusive Dark Matter

    May 5, 2025 at 6:05 AM
    Illustration of a precision laser being fired from Earth to a satellite orbiting the Moon during daylight (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    China Hits the Moon With a Laser: First Daylight Lunar Reflection in History Stuns Scientists and Ignites Global Space Race

    May 4, 2025 at 5:09 PM
    Illustration of the SR-72 hypersonic jet soaring through the sky (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China Stunned by US Jet”: SR-72 Hypersonic Aircraft to Fly at Over Mach 5 in 2025, Triggering Shock and Panic in Beijing

    May 4, 2025 at 6:03 AM
    Illustration of China's expansive underground military command center near Beijing (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    China Unveils Its Military Mega-Project: Satellite Images Reveal Construction of the Largest Military Hub on Earth Spanning Over 1,000 Acres

    May 3, 2025 at 6:54 AM
    Illustration of China's new amphibious anti-tank missile system on the ZTD-05 vehicle (AI-generated, non-realistic illustration). Credit: Ideogram.

    “China Unleashes Amphibious Beast”: This Armored Truck-Turned-Tank Can Now Hunt Enemy Targets Across Rivers and Swamps

    May 2, 2025 at 5:52 AM
  • Research
    Illustration of China's Three-Body Computing Constellation satellites performing data processing in space, generated by artificial intelligence.

    “They’re Putting It in Space to Dominate”: China’s Orbital Supercomputer Leaves Global Tech Powers Scrambling to Catch Up

    July 20, 2025 at 10:01 AM
    Illustration of a newly discovered species of giant anaconda in the Ecuadorian Amazon, created by artificial intelligence.

    “We Thought It Was a Log—Then It Moved”: Record-Breaking Anaconda Discovered on Will Smith’s Amazon Expedition Shocks Crew

    July 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
    Illustration of the discovery of a massive gold reserve beneath China's Hunan Province, generated by artificial intelligence.

    Secret Gold Megatrove Revealed: Massive $84 Billion Deposit Unearthed by Experts in One of the World’s Richest Soil Zones

    July 20, 2025 at 7:57 AM
    Illustration of dolphins and orcas in their ocean habitat, highlighting their irreversible evolutionary adaptations, created by artificial intelligence.

    “They Can Never Walk Again”: Scientists Confirm Dolphins and Orcas Have Crossed the Evolutionary Line Back to Land Forever

    July 20, 2025 at 6:58 AM
    Illustration of Bacillus megaterium converting CO₂ into limestone.

    “Nature Just Did What Billionaires Couldn’t”: This Bizarre Bacteria Traps CO₂ Forever by Turning It to Stone in a Single Day

    July 20, 2025 at 6:03 AM
Sustainability Times

Termites can help parched plants withstand climate change

Rosemary PotterRosemary PotterMarch 9, 2020 at 11:41 PM0
Share Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News
(photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Share
Twitter Facebook LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link

Not many people are fond of termites as they can destroy wooden houses and chew up wooden furniture. Pests they can be, all right.

Yet termites can also be important for ecosystems in semi-arid lands like grasslands and savannas where they can help plants withstand climate change, according to a study.

A warming climate is causing many grasslands to become even dryer, which is a problem since drier lands are especially climate-sensitive. As global warming is expected to intensify droughts in coming years, grasslands and savannas will face increased threats of desertification.

The transition of semi-arid areas driven by climate change is being studied by scientists, some of whom are predicting that northeast Brazil, which is currently covered by dry shrub-land vegetation, could soon shift into a desert landscape.

This is where those pesky termites enter the picture.

In a recent study published in the journal Science, researchers from Princeton University report that in dry lands termite mounds provide oases for vegetation that grows around the mounds. These towering mounds could possibly assist plants in becoming more resilient to climate change, the experts say.

Termites skillfully build intricate porous nests from earth. These structures allow rainwater to seep in and penetrate deep underground. Internal pores also cause less evaporation to occur than on the surface of the soil.

Termites could help vegetation stay alive in arid areas in places like Africa. (photo: Pixabay)

“The rain is the same everywhere, but because termites allow water to penetrate the soil better, the plants grow on or near the mounds as if there were more rain,” said Corina Tarnita, one of the authors behind the research who is an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at Princeton.

During especially arid periods when dry areas are hit with heatwaves and face a scarcity of water, most vegetation dries out. Not plants growing near termite mounds, however. Thanks to moisture preserved by these high-rise nests, adjacent plants can remain robust.

“Even when you see desertification start to happen between the mounds, the vegetation on or around the mounds is doing so well it will keep reseeding the environment,” Tarnita said.

“The vegetation on and around termite mounds persists longer and declines slower,” she further explained. “Even when you get to such harsh conditions where vegetation disappears from the mounds, re-vegetation is still easier. As long as the mounds are there the ecosystem has a better chance to recover.”

In our eyes termites may be troublesome, but in ecological terms they could do a world of good for vegetation by helping buffer some plants against climate change.

Did you like it? 4.6/5 (27)

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Climate Change Wildlife
Follow on Google News Follow on X (Twitter)
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Previous ArticleElephants mourn their dead, scientists say
Next Article More market leaders are using sustainably produced cotton
Rosemary Potter
  • X (Twitter)

Rosemary Potter is a Chicago-based journalist for Sustainability Times, covering global sustainability challenges, environmental policy, science, business and climate resilience. A graduate of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, she blends investigative depth with a global perspective. Her reporting amplifies voices driving change across borders, industries, and ecosystems. Contact: [email protected]

Keep Reading
Illustration of a newly discovered species of giant anaconda in the Ecuadorian Amazon, created by artificial intelligence.

“We Thought It Was a Log—Then It Moved”: Record-Breaking Anaconda Discovered on Will Smith’s Amazon Expedition Shocks Crew

Illustration of oarfish washing ashore, known as the "fish of the apocalypse," generated by artificial intelligence.

“They’re Warning Us”: Scientists Stunned as Three Massive ‘Apocalypse Fish’ Emerge From the Deep and Wash Ashore Within Days

Illustration of the New World screwworm threatening livestock and human health, generated by artificial intelligence.

“They’re Melting Living Flesh in Hours”: Scientists Horrified as Swarm of Flesh-Eating Flies Begins Rapid Takeover of U.S.

Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Trending
Illustration of China's Three-Body Computing Constellation satellites performing data processing in space, generated by artificial intelligence.
“They’re Putting It in Space to Dominate”: China’s Orbital Supercomputer Leaves Global Tech Powers Scrambling to Catch Up
Illustration of a newly discovered species of giant anaconda in the Ecuadorian Amazon, created by artificial intelligence.
“We Thought It Was a Log—Then It Moved”: Record-Breaking Anaconda Discovered on Will Smith’s Amazon Expedition Shocks Crew
Illustration of the discovery of a massive gold reserve beneath China's Hunan Province, generated by artificial intelligence.
Secret Gold Megatrove Revealed: Massive $84 Billion Deposit Unearthed by Experts in One of the World’s Richest Soil Zones
News by category
  • Featured
  • Cities
  • Climate
  • Energy
  • Impact
  • Markets
  • Opinions
  • Policy
  • Reports
  • Research
Information
  • About Us
  • Meet the Team
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Legal Mentions
  • Privacy Policy

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

News, investigations, and analysis — our top stories every morning to start your day right.

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube TikTok
© Sustainability-Times.com. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.