World’s oldest termite mounds found in South Africa, storing carbon for millennia

The landscape along the Buffels River in South Africa’s Namaqualand region is dotted with thousands of sandy mounds that occupy about 20% of the surface area. So the termite mounds also offer a mechanism to sequester carbon dioxide through dissolution and leaching of soil carbonate-bicarbonate to groundwater. The results of our radiocarbon dating of both the organic and inorganic carbon in this soil show that the mounds have been accumulating organic matter and nutrients, including carbon, for tens of thousands of years. These primarily focus on forests and oceans; including termite mounds can help provide a more comprehensive understanding of global carbon dynamics. Raising awareness about the ecological importance of termite mounds and integrating these findings into environmental policies can help promote practices that support natural carbon sinks.