Bioturbation: Unveiling the role of ants and termites in the phytolith assemblage of tropical soils – First IPS Envoy Post by Carolina Glaeser Benincá
Over two thousand years ago, the French naturalist Saint’ Hilaire said: “soit le Brésil finit avec la fourmi [saúva], soit la fourmi finit avec le Brésil” [Either Brazil ends the ants [leaf-cutter] or the ant ends Brazil], dramatically illustrating the profound impact that a single biological element can have on the balance and sustainability of an ecosystem.
First Envoy Post by Xinxin Zuo – Phytolith Research in Southeastern China
Our studies using phytolith analysis are four-fold: Archaeological and cultural aspects, Palaeoecological aspects, Morphological aspects and Chemical and physical aspects.