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Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters

In some parts of tropical Africa, termite mound locations are traditionally used to site groundwater structures mainly in the form of hand-dug wells with high success rates. However, the scientific rationale behind the use of mounds as prospective sites for locating groundwater structures has not be...

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Main Authors: Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala, Pradhan, Biswajeet, Mansor, Shattri, Md Yusoff, Zainuddin, Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI 2019
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38373/1/38373.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38373/
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/9/2107
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spelling my.upm.eprints.383732020-05-04T16:25:08Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38373/ Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala Pradhan, Biswajeet Mansor, Shattri Md Yusoff, Zainuddin Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham In some parts of tropical Africa, termite mound locations are traditionally used to site groundwater structures mainly in the form of hand-dug wells with high success rates. However, the scientific rationale behind the use of mounds as prospective sites for locating groundwater structures has not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, locations and structural features of termite mounds were mapped with the aim of determining the aquifer potential beneath termite mounds and comparing the same with adjacent areas, 10 m away. Soil and species sampling, field surveys and laboratory analyses to obtain data on physical, hydraulic and geo-electrical parameters from termite mounds and adjacent control areas followed. The physical and hydraulic measurements demonstrated relatively higher infiltration rates and lower soil water content on mound soils compared with the surrounding areas. To assess the aquifer potential, vertical electrical soundings were conducted on 28 termite mounds sites and adjacent control areas. Three (3) important parameters were assessed to compute potential weights for each Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) point: Depth to bedrock, aquifer layer resistivity and fresh/fractured bedrock resistivity. These weights were then compared between those of termite mound sites and those from control areas. The result revealed that about 43% of mound sites have greater aquifer potential compared to the surrounding areas, whereas 28.5% of mounds have equal and lower potentials compared with the surrounding areas. The study concludes that termite mounds locations are suitable spots for groundwater prospecting owing to the deeper regolith layer beneath them which suggests that termites either have the ability to locate places with a deeper weathering horizon or are themselves agents of biological weathering. Further studies to check how representative our study area is of other areas with similar termite activities are recommended. MDPI 2019 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38373/1/38373.pdf Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala and Pradhan, Biswajeet and Mansor, Shattri and Md Yusoff, Zainuddin and Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham (2019) Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters. Sensors, 19 (9). art. no. 2107. pp. 1-17. ISSN 1424-8220 https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/9/2107 10.3390/s19092107
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
language English
description In some parts of tropical Africa, termite mound locations are traditionally used to site groundwater structures mainly in the form of hand-dug wells with high success rates. However, the scientific rationale behind the use of mounds as prospective sites for locating groundwater structures has not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, locations and structural features of termite mounds were mapped with the aim of determining the aquifer potential beneath termite mounds and comparing the same with adjacent areas, 10 m away. Soil and species sampling, field surveys and laboratory analyses to obtain data on physical, hydraulic and geo-electrical parameters from termite mounds and adjacent control areas followed. The physical and hydraulic measurements demonstrated relatively higher infiltration rates and lower soil water content on mound soils compared with the surrounding areas. To assess the aquifer potential, vertical electrical soundings were conducted on 28 termite mounds sites and adjacent control areas. Three (3) important parameters were assessed to compute potential weights for each Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) point: Depth to bedrock, aquifer layer resistivity and fresh/fractured bedrock resistivity. These weights were then compared between those of termite mound sites and those from control areas. The result revealed that about 43% of mound sites have greater aquifer potential compared to the surrounding areas, whereas 28.5% of mounds have equal and lower potentials compared with the surrounding areas. The study concludes that termite mounds locations are suitable spots for groundwater prospecting owing to the deeper regolith layer beneath them which suggests that termites either have the ability to locate places with a deeper weathering horizon or are themselves agents of biological weathering. Further studies to check how representative our study area is of other areas with similar termite activities are recommended.
format Article
author Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala
Pradhan, Biswajeet
Mansor, Shattri
Md Yusoff, Zainuddin
Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham
spellingShingle Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala
Pradhan, Biswajeet
Mansor, Shattri
Md Yusoff, Zainuddin
Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham
Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
author_facet Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala
Pradhan, Biswajeet
Mansor, Shattri
Md Yusoff, Zainuddin
Ekpo, Salamatu Abraham
author_sort Ahmed II, Jamilu Bala
title Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
title_short Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
title_full Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
title_fullStr Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
title_full_unstemmed Aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
title_sort aquifer potential assessment in termites manifested locales using geo-electrical and surface hydraulic measurement parameters
publisher MDPI
publishDate 2019
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38373/1/38373.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/38373/
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/19/9/2107
_version_ 1665895980048842752
score 13.211869

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