Different active fungus combs collected from the wild (a-i), sample pH (k) and moisture content (l) and the contents of oxalate (m) and carbonate (n) of different parts of the termite nest. T. clypeatus nodules (the enlarged region from the red rectangle in (a)) covered the surfaces of fungus combs. Fruiting bodies of T. clypeatus were linked with the subterranean fungus combs (e). The smooth solid termite nest walls and termites can be observed after removing the fungus comb (j). The letters on the error line represent significant differences, identified by Duncan’s test at p < 0.05. FC: fungal comb, TNW: termite nest wall, SS: surface soil.