Moore J M, Picker M D
Department of Mineralogy and Geology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, Private Bag, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Oecologia. 1991 May;86(3):424-432. doi: 10.1007/BF00317612.
Examination of eroded and intact earth mounds in the Clanwilliam district, South Africa, indicates that they are well-established active termitaria of the harvester termite Microhodotermes viator. Unoccupied lower portions of the mounds contain ubiquitous trace-fossil evidence of earlier inhabitation by the same species. Previous studies indicating that fossorial molerats played a major role in the formation of the mounds are not supported by the observations presented here. Calcretization of the basal parts of the earth mounds has been caused by groundwater interaction with the more alkaline mound soil. C dating of this calcrete indicates that the earth mounds have been in existence for at least 4000 years, an order of magnitude greater than any previously recorded longevity for termitarium inhabitation.
对南非克兰威廉地区被侵蚀和完好无损的土丘进行检查后发现，它们是收获蚁白蚁Microhodotermes viator已成熟的活跃蚁丘。土丘未被占据的下部含有该物种早期栖息的普遍存在的痕迹化石证据。此前有研究表明掘穴鼹鼠在土丘形成过程中起主要作用，但此处的观察结果并不支持这一观点。土丘底部的钙化作用是由地下水与碱性更强的土丘土壤相互作用造成的。对这种钙结岩的碳年代测定表明，这些土丘已经存在了至少4000年，这比之前记录的任何蚁丘居住寿命都要长一个数量级。
