Total soil nitrogen and ephemeral plant density and biomass on plots treated with chlordane to eliminate termites were compared with untreated control plots at the Jornada validation site in the Chihuahuan desert. Total soil nitrogen in the 0-2.5 and 10-20 cm depths was significantly higher for treated compared to control plots. Other than increase soil N at the above two depths, the elimination of termites did not alter the spatial distribution of nitrogen around Larrea tridentata. Soil N in both treated and controlled plots was higher under the shrub canopy than in open areas, on the east side of shrubs than on the west, and in the surface soils than at lower depths.