Termites: The Neglected Soil Engineers of Tropical Soils

Termites are undoubtedly key soil organisms in tropical and subtropical soils. They are soil engineers in influencing the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils and, consequently, water dynamics in tropical and subtropical ecosystems. To appreciate the effect of termites on soil, there is a need for a thorough understanding of the ecological needs and building strategies of termites and the mechanisms regulating termite diversity at local and regional scales. Termite impacts on soil properties and water dynamics can be differentiated at four different scales: (i) at the landscape scale, where termites act as heterogeneity drivers; (ii) at the soil profile scale, where termites act as soil bioturbators; (iii) at the aggregate scale, where they act as aggregate reorganizers; (iv) and last, at the clay mineral scale, where they can act as weathering agents. Last, we discuss recent literature on termite engineering published in the last 10 years in the major journals of soil science and suggest new research topics that could contribute to improved knowledge of the impact of termites on soil properties and water dynamics.