The role of changing landscape in the dispersal of a soil‐feeding termite in Suriname and French Guiana

Abstract

Neotropical forest ecosystems harbour significant biodiversity. To develop effective insect conservation practices, it is important to understand the factors that influence the diversity and population structure of the species. Dispersal, a key determinant of population structure, is well studied in termites nesting in wood, for which it can be influenced by wood transport, or in termites living in urban environments. However, understanding the dispersal of termites whose mobility remains unaffected by wood transport remains understudied. We investigated the dispersal of Embiratermes neotenicus, a soil‐feeding species with short dispersal distance, in the Neotropical region, where both intact and degraded forests exist. Using mitochondrial and nuclear data, we analysed genetic diversity, structure and factors contributing to population differentiation in Suriname and French Guiana at multiple scales for 70 colonies. The population in French Guiana is the ancestral population in the region that subsequently expanded. Significant genetic differentiation between populations was observed, with distinct patterns identified in Suriname and French Guiana. The Suriname population showed higher genetic diversity and no subpopulation differentiation, whereas the French Guiana population showed substructure into distinct genetic clusters. Analyses at the scale of all colonies suggest the influence of landscape features, such as the Maroni River, on genetic differentiation. At the local scale, genetic differentiation between colonies increases with forest alteration, even when this does not include major changes in forest cover. Our results highlight the sensitivity of soil‐feeding termite populations to habitat change. We argue that multi‐scale studies are needed for a comprehensive understanding of genetic patterns, especially for species with short dispersal distances.