In the cities of Lubumbashi and Kolwezi, which are the capitals of the Congolese provinces of Haut-Katanga and Lualaba, the main building material is fired clay bricks. These bricks are made by crushing termite mounds, which are rich in clay and common in areas with sandy soil. Around the cities in the Katanga region, termite mounds are becoming less common, as brick production has become a profitable industry. However, this process contributes to deforestation, as the bricks are fired using wood or charcoal. In addition to brick production, other activities such as farming, mining, and road construction are also disrupting the habitats of termites. In the miombo ecosystems of Katanga, which stretch from the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to southern Africa, termites are considered natural engineers of soil fertility. They break down and recycle organic material, move nutrients from deep in the soil to the surface, and help redistribute them. The tunnels they dig also help air and water move through the soil. Termites play a vital role in maintaining soil fertility and restoring ecosystems, but they are now under threat due to the destruction of their forests and their mounds. For Professor Basile Bazikare from the Faculty of Agronomy at Lubumbashi University, the loss of termites would represent a significant loss of biodiversity. It would also deprive the miombo soils of essential functions that are important for their health and productivity. This article was originally published on Mongabay.