Nitrogen and carbon stable‐isotope ratios (δ 15 N and δ 13 C) of body tissues, mound/nest materials and dietary substrates were determined in termite species with differing trophic habits, sampled from the Mbalmayo Forest Reserve, southern Cameroon. 2. δ 15 N of termite tissues was enriched gradually along a spectrum of species representing a trophic gradient from wood‐ to soil‐feeding. Species that could be identified from their general biology and from gut content analysis as feeding on well‐rotted wood or as wood/soil interface feeders showed δ 15 N intermediate between sound‐wood‐feeders and soil‐feeders. It is proposed that δ 15 N is therefore a possible indicator of the functional position of species in the humification process. Differences in δ 13 C were also observed between wood‐feeding and soil‐feeding forms. 3. High values of δ 15 N in soil‐feeding termites suggest that nitrogen fixation is of little importance in these species. 4. A wide range of isotope effects (the difference in isotope ratios between termites and their diet) was observed for both nitrogen (Δδ 15 N = –1.6 to + 8.8‰) and carbon (Δδ 13 C = –2.2 to + 3.0‰), which suggests a diversity of nutrient acquisition mechanisms within termites and diverse relationships between termites and their intestinal micro‐organisms.
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Tayasu et al. (1997) studied this question.