Investigating termite nest thermodynamics using a quick-look method and the heat equation

Termite mounds are often cited as an example of efficient thermoregulated structures. Nest thermal stability can be critical for insects that are particularly sensitive to heat and desiccation. Few studies have measured internal temperature of termite nests with respect to environmental parameters, especially in Neotropical species. In this study, we analyzed the thermal profiles of different parts of Procornitermes araujoi nests, a neotropical mound-building termite of the Brazilian cerrado. To read into our dataset we first used rasterization, a method that allows a quick-look assessment of time-series. Our results show that nest architecture efficiently buffers against environmental temperature fluctuations while at the same time maintaining a relatively high internal temperature in the core. This rather stable internal climate follows nevertheless the external temperature long-term averages. Using a novel numerical scheme, we further show that the heat transfer dynamics are well described by the classical heat equation, with an additional heat source whose origin is discussed.