Termites are small insects known to cause the destruction of any wooden structure. These insects belong to the Isoptera class; iso means “equal” and ptera means “wings”. They play an important role in the formation of landscape and soil and dominate the guild of “ecosystem engineers” (Jouquet, 2011, p. 215) as a controlling factor in the ecosystems in which they live. This is especially true in countries located in the tropics and subtropics (Africa and Australia). Termites that build their nests in the soil impact the properties and structure of the soil. This is most evident among the mound builders. To better understand what a termite mound is, let's first look at the following image. Five different sections of the mound are visible. The first section shows the top of the mound. This part can rise up to twenty-five feet or more above the ground (Planetseed, 2013). These mounds are made up of soil, feces, and saliva. To build this type of structure, termites fill their mouths and jaws with soil, allowing it to mix with their saliva. Then they place the soil and knead it with their head and jaws. This part of the mound is extremely porous and allows air to penetrate it. The second section contains the chimney and tunnels. These tunnels allow air to pass through them and up the chimney. When the outside air comes into contact with the warm inside air, the cooler air is pushed into section three. This allows oxygen to reach the lower areas and prevents overheating. Section three is the nest. This is where termites spend most of their time. The nest is made up of many chambers. Since termites eat a lot of food, they have separate chambers used to store wood. This is the primary food source for... half the card... up to a barrow. This means that the productivity of these areas is higher than if the termite mounds were built randomly. Termites, although considered pests, are very beneficial to our ecosystem. They provide an increase in plant and animal diversity. Termites also allow more water to infiltrate the soil through tunneling, allowing plants to grow. Through their feces, saliva secretions, and the bodies of predators and other termites, they add organic matter to the soil. This helps increase the fertility of the soil in and around the mounds. An increase in soil fertility can help struggling countries increase agricultural production, especially useful in countries that lack the financial means to purchase fertilizers. For the rest of our lives, termites will be a key “engineer” for our ecosystem as we continue to degrade our soils.