Kite photograph of a termite mound

Jennifer Guyton (graduate student), Tyler Coverdale (graduate student)

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Using a point-and-shoot camera mounted on a kite, we collected images of termite mounds (in this photo the termite mound is the light spot at bottom center). Termite mounds play a vital role in Kenya’s semi-arid landscape because their subterranean microenvironments – aerated, moist, and nutrient-rich – benefit plant and animal life. The mounds occur in strikingly uniform “polka-dot” patterns; understanding the ecological significance of the patterns could yield improved measures for planting, pollination, and pest control.