Termite Mounds per Hectare

Termite Mounds per Hectare in the Brazilian Cerrado

In the Brazilian cerrado you'll usually find somewhere between 50 to 200 mounds per hectare. The exact figure swings with soil type, how much vegetation covers the ground, and the local rainfall. The estimate here runs mounds = density × area_ha, and the density value changes per biome (cerrado ≈ 100/ha, caatinga ≈ 60/ha, amazonia ≈ 30/ha, pampa ≈ 20/ha).

The species you see most are Cornitermes cumulans, which builds that familiar cone-shaped mound, and Syntermes. In 2018, a study in Current Biology reported that mounds in the Vereda do Peruaçu region reach as much as 4,000 years old. They cover a stretch of land about the size of Great Britain, roughly 200 million mounds in all, which puts them among the oldest biological structures anywhere on Earth.

Applications

Ranchers reach for it when planning pasture rotation, agronomists when gauging soil fertility (the mounds pull nutrients in), and environmental agencies for their own surveys. In Brazil, IBAMA regulates how insecticides get applied on pasture. A lot of cerrado termites help the ecosystem rather than harm it, so they aren't really pests, and mechanical control or rotating the pasture tends to be the better route.

FAQ

Should I destroy all mounds on my land? No. Most cerrado termites actually help with soil aeration and nutrient cycling. Only knock them down if they're cutting into your forage productivity, and talk to an agronomist before you do.

How old can these mounds be? Radiocarbon dating in Minas Gerais turned up individual mounds as old as 4,000 years, which makes them older than the pyramids of Giza.

Is insecticide application restricted? Yes. IBAMA and the state agencies regulate its use on pasture, so check the local rules before you reach for chemical control.