scholarly journals Super Absorbent Polymers Buried within Dry Soil Attract Formosan Subterranean Termites (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae)

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinxi Xie ◽  
Zhengya Jin ◽  
Wei Lin ◽  
Kena Xue ◽  
Xuemei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feeding Preference ◽  
Coptotermes Formosanus ◽  
Void Volume ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Feeding Behaviors ◽  
Super Absorbent Polymer ◽  
Dry Soil ◽  
Moisture Conditions ◽  
Bait Stations ◽  
Absorbent Polymer

Baiting is one of the main methods to control subterranean termites. Many previous studies showed that subterranean termites avoid making tunnels within dry soil and feeding on dry wood, which may decrease bait infestation and consumption in drought areas. Super absorbent polymers are a group of materials that can retain large amounts of water and improve the moisture content of soil and bait matrices, and therefore may attract termites. In the present study, choice tests were conducted in the laboratory to investigate the aggregation and feeding behaviors of Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, in response to the three super absorbent polymers—sodium polyacrylate (Na-PAM), potassium polyacrylate (K-PAM), and poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) potassium salt (P(AM/AA))—that were either placed within soil or filled in the void volume of baiting containers. Under dry-soil (30%-moisture) conditions, termites consumed significantly more wood in the chambers where super absorbent polymers were buried than in the control chambers (super absorbent polymer was not placed within soil). In addition, Na-PAM placed within dry soil significantly increased termite aggregation compared with the control chambers. However, no aggregation or feeding preference was detected when super absorbent polymers were placed within wet soil (60%-moisture). Also, filling super absorbent polymers into the void volume of baiting containers did not attract termites, whether the soil was dry or wet. Our study showed that placing super absorbent polymers within soil around bait stations may increase bait consumption by subterranean termites in drought locations.

scholarly journals Effects of clay materials and moisture levels on habitat preference and survivorship of Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki (Blattodea: Rhinotermitidae)

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e10243
Author(s):  
Zhengya Jin ◽  
Jian Chen ◽  
Xiujun Wen ◽  
Cai Wang
Keyword(s):  
Coptotermes Formosanus ◽  
Subterranean Termites ◽  
Feeding Preferences ◽  
Multiple Choice Tests ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Moisture Conditions ◽  
Bait Stations ◽  
Clay Materials ◽  
Clay Type

Formosan subterranean termites, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki, usually transport clay materials into tree hollows and bait stations. Our previous research showed that C. formosanus preferred to aggregate in the locations containing field-collected clay samples, but it was not clear whether this preference was influenced by clay types and/or moisture. In the present study, we conducted multiple-choice tests under low-moisture (25% moisture) or moderate-moisture (50% moisture) conditions to evaluate the aggregation and wood-feeding preferences of C. formosanus responding to hollow wooden cylinders (simulation of tree hollows) or baiting containers (simulation of bait stations) filled with different clay materials (bentonite , kaolin, chlorite, illite, or attapulgite), soil, or unfilled. Under low-moisture conditions, the majority of termites were found in the wooden cylinders or baiting containers filled with bentonite. Under moderate-moisture conditions, however, termites preferred to aggregate in wooden cylinders filled with chlorite or attapulgite; the percentages of termites that stayed in baiting containers filled with chlorite, attapulgite or soil were similar, which were significantly higher than those that filled with kaolin, illite, or unfilled. We then conducted no-choice tests to study the effect of clay materials on termites. Under low-moisture conditions, clay filled in the baiting containers significantly increased survivorship and body water percentage (an indicator of termite vigor) of termites, whereas no similar effect was detected under moderate-moisture conditions. This study demonstrated that both clay type and moisture affect termites’ preference.

scholarly journals The Influence of Monomer Composition and Surface-CrossLinking Condition on Biodegradation and Gel Strength of Super Absorbent Polymer

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 663
Author(s):  
Jung Soo Kim ◽  
Dong Hyun Kim ◽  
Youn Suk Lee
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Time ◽  
Gel Strength ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Cellulose Content ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Super Absorbent Polymer ◽  
Monomer Composition ◽  
Cellulose Hydrogel ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Absorbent Polymer

In this study, a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) comprising poly (IA-co-cellulose-co-VSA-co-AA; ICVA) core-SAP (CSAP) was synthesized through radical polymerization using itaconic acid (IA), acrylic acid (AA), cellulose, and vinyl sulfonic acid (VSA) as monomers. The absorption performances and relative biodegradability of various compositions prepared by adjusting the amounts of cellulose and VSA with constant IA and AA content were compared. Increasing the cellulose content in CSAP contributed to improved biodegradation of the surface-crosslinked SAP (SSAP) and gel strength, although the free absorbency (FA) and centrifuge retention capacity (CRC) decreased. Increasing the VSA content resulted in strong anionicity, which enables the absorption of large amounts of water. Surface-crosslinking technology was applied to the CSAP synthesized with the optimal composition ratio to increase its absorption performance and gel strength. Improved performance of the synthesized SSAP (a CRC of 30.4 g/g, absorbency under load (AUL) of 23.3 g/g, and permeability of 55 s) was achieved by selecting the optimal surface-crosslinking treatment time and the amount of distilled water in the surface-crosslinking solution: as the latter was increased in the surface-crosslinking solution, the AUL and permeability of the SSAP were improved, and its biodegradability was found to be 54% compared to the 100% biodegradable cellulose hydrogel in the control group.

Feeding site selection by workers of the Formosan subterranean termite Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) – a re-analysis of field data from a mark–recapture study

2003 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 467-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.-Y. Su ◽  
P.N. Scherer
Keyword(s):  
Site Fidelity ◽  
Random Search ◽  
Coptotermes Formosanus ◽  
Subterranean Termite ◽  
Frequency Data ◽  
Feeding Frequency ◽  
Feeding Site ◽  
Formosan Subterranean Termite ◽  
Computer Simulation Program ◽  
Bait Stations

AbstractDuring the early stages of the development of termite baits, dyed paper was placed in specified feeding stations to ascertain whether a slow-acting toxicant could be placed in a few bait stations to be delivered to the entire colony members of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Feeding frequency data, as measured by the dye concentration in individual termites, suggested the absence of feeding site fidelity. However, these results were often misinterpreted as random movement of termites that were marked and released for population estimate studies, or the random search of food in soil by subterranean termites. A computer simulation program was constructed to re-examine this feeding frequency data, and confirmed the earlier conclusion that the lack of feeding site fidelity was the most likely explanation for the data.

scholarly journals Effects of Super-Absorbent Polymer Application on Yield and Yield Components of Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fariborz SHEKARI ◽  
Abdollah JAVANMARD ◽  
Amin ABBASI
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Field Condition ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Embryo Abortion ◽  
Super Absorbent Polymer ◽  
Irrigation Interval ◽  
Randomized Block Design ◽  
Rapeseed Production ◽  
Polymer Application ◽  
Absorbent Polymer

Limitation of water resources and its great impact on agricultural and natural resources play a crucial role in the efficiency of water use. Applying super absorbent polymer to the soil may be one of the methods to minimize the stress of weather dryness in arid and semi-arid regions. In order to evaluate the effects of hydrophilic polymer application on yield and water use efficiency of rapeseed plants, an experiment was conducted under field condition in 2012 at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh. Treatments’ factors were: (i) 3 super absorbent polymers (SAP) (Taravat A200) levels of 0 (without application), 75 and 150 kg ha-1 A200 application, (ii) three irrigation levels of 80, 120 and 180 mm evaporation from class A basin in main plots, (iii) two cultivars ʻHyola 401ʼ and ʻRVSʼ in sub plots as factorial split plot combination based on completely randomized block design with three replications. The results showed that in all of the measured traits within the experiment there were significant differences between SAP levels. Furthermore, increasing irrigation interval led to an increase in a thousand seeds’ weight, but decreased seed yield. Increasing water stress raised seed oil percent and infertile silique and subsequently resulted in reduced oil yield. ʻHyola 401ʼ was more susceptible to embryo abortion compared with ʻRVSʼ. As a conclusion of the research, SAP (A200) application in quantities smaller than 75 kg ha-1 may be recommended for rapeseed production under field condition.

scholarly journals Germination of Ocotea pulchella (Nees) Mez (Lauraceae) seeds in laboratory and natural restinga environment conditions

2009 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 935-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
LA. Pires ◽  
VJM. Cardoso ◽  
CA. Joly ◽  
RR. Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Moisture Content ◽  
Weibull Model ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Base Temperature ◽  
Temperature Range ◽  
Optimal Temperature Range ◽  
Dry Soil ◽  
Moisture Conditions ◽  
Temperature Water

The germination response of Ocotea pulchella (Nees) Mez seeds to light, temperature, water level and pulp presence is introduced. The laboratory assays were carried out in germination chambers and thermal-gradient apparatus, whereas the field assays were performed in environments with distinct light, temperature and soil moisture conditions within a permanent parcel of Restinga forest of the Parque Estadual da Ilha do Cardoso, Cananéia, São Paulo. The seeds do not exhibit dormancy, they are non photoblastic, and a loss of viability in dry stored seeds can be related to a decrease in water content of the seed. The presence of the pulp and the flooded substratum influenced negatively the germination of O. pulchella seeds tested in the laboratory. Otherwise, light and temperature probably are not limiting factors of the germination of O. pulchella seeds in the natural environment of Restinga. The optimum temperature range for germination of Ocotea pulchella seeds was 20 to 32 ºC, the minimum or base temperature estimated was 11 ºC and the maximum ranged between 33 and 42 ºC. The isotherms exhibited a sigmoidal pattern well described by the Weibull model in the sub-optimal temperature range. The germinability of O. pulchella seeds in the understorey, both in wet and dry soil, was higher than in gaps. Germination was not affected by fluctuations in soil moisture content in the understorey environment, whereas in gaps, germination was higher in wet soils. Thus, the germination of this species involves the interaction of two or more factors and it cannot be explained by a single factor.

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