Nitrogen fixation by intact colonies of the termite Nasutitermes corniger

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Abstract
Whole colonies of the arboreal termite Nasutitermes corniger (lsoptera, Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) from a Costa Rican rainforest were assayed for nitrogen fixation by the acetylene reduction method, using a 21-1 test chamber. Nitrogenase activity was positively correlated with termite biomass for the nexts examined, providing the experiment was performed within 2 h of removal of the colony from the field. Total colony fixation rates of 0.25–1.0 mg N per colony per hour indicate a nitrogen doubling time of 200–600 days, thereby making possible complete replacement of the nest population 1–2 times per year.