ISOLATION OF FUNGI IN TERMITE MOUNDS IN DOMINION UNIVERSITY, IBADAN, NIGERIA

Termites play important role in the ecosystem by decomposing wood and recycling nutrients. Termite mounds host different microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, which help in the breakdown of complex organic matter. Understanding symbiotic relationships, termites rely on diverse microorganisms to digest the cellulose in wood, which they cannot break down. Based on this, there is a need to investigate the microbial population and the presence of cellulose-degrading organisms in termite mounds. The termite soil was collected in a sterile plastic bag from senate area (SA) and residential area (RA) collection sites and were analyzed in the laboratory. Four fungi species were isolated from the soil samples. They were identified as Aspergillus spp, Mucor spp, Fusarium spp, and Backusella spp. It was recorded that the sample with the highest growth was from the Inner section of the senate area sample at 10x10-2, and the lowest was from the inner section of the residential area sample at 10×10-6. This study provides a foundation for research in the field of fungal ecology and termite mound biology.