Editing Termite (section)

===In agriculture===
[[File:Termites marked with traceable protiens.jpg|thumb|left|Scientists have developed a more affordable method of tracing the movement of termites using traceable proteins.<ref name="agricultural2010"/>]]
Termites can be major agricultural pests, particularly in East Africa and North Asia, where crop losses can be severe (3–100% in crop loss in Africa).<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Mitchell|first1=J.D.|title=Termites as pests of crops, forestry, rangeland and structures in Southern Africa and their control|journal=Sociobiology|date=2002|volume=40|issue=1|pages=47–69|url=http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=13648716|issn=0361-6525}}</ref> Counterbalancing this is the greatly improved water infiltration where termite tunnels in the soil allow rainwater to soak in deeply, which helps reduce runoff and consequent soil erosion through [[bioturbation#Terrestrial|bioturbation]].<ref name=aseanbiodiversity.info>{{cite journal|last1=Löffler|first1=E.|last2=Kubiniok|first2=J.|title=Landform development and bioturbation on the Khorat plateau, Northeast Thailand|journal=Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society|date=1996|volume=44|pages=199–216|url=http://www.siamese-heritage.org/nhbsspdf/vol041-050/NHBSS_044_2h_Loffler_LandformDevelopme.pdf}}</ref> In South America, cultivated plants such as eucalyptus, upland rice and [[sugarcane]] can be severely damaged by termite infestations, with attacks on leaves, roots and woody tissue. Termites can also attack other plants, including [[cassava]], [[Coffea|coffee]], [[Gossypium|cotton]], fruit trees, [[maize]], [[peanut]]s, soybeans and vegetables.<ref name=cap2008/> Mounds can disrupt farming activities, making it difficult for farmers to operate farming machinery; however, despite farmers' dislike of the mounds, it is often the case that no net loss of production occurs.<ref name=cap2008/> Termites can be beneficial to agriculture, such as by boosting [[crop yield]]s and enriching the soil. Termites and ants can re-colonise untilled land that contains crop stubble, which colonies use for nourishment when they establish their nests. The presence of nests in fields enables larger amounts of rainwater to soak into the ground and increases the amount of nitrogen in the soil, both essential for the growth of crops.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Evans |first1=T.A. |last2=Dawes |first2=T.Z. |last3=Ward |first3=P.R. |last4=Lo |first4=N. |title=Ants and termites increase crop yield in a dry climate |journal=Nature Communications |date=2011 |volume=2 |pages=262 |bibcode=2011NatCo...2..262E|doi=10.1038/ncomms1257|pmid=21448161|pmc=3072065}}</ref>

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