Termites play a very important and decisive role in the tropical forest ecosystem. As most species of termites are subterranean, feeding on wood, humus, lichen, etc. their activities in the soil present a number of interesting features including laterization of soil. The large quantities of subsoil brought to the surface during borrowing and mound-building activities evidently seems to increase the rate of percolation of rain water and of aeration of both top and subsoils. Scavenging role of termites in the forest ecosystem also includes incorporation of the dung of herbivores and other game animals into the soil. Notwithstanding the beneficial role of termites, termites are serious pests in forest nurseries and young plantations. Often, plantations of eucalypts and other forest species cannot be successfully raised without taking preventive measures.