We are told the natural world is ‘breaking down’. But forests don’t work like aeroplanes or human hearts ...

Ecosystem function describes the array of biological, geochemical and physical processes that occur within an ecosystem—such as primary production, nutrient cycling, decomposition and climate ...

Soils underpin a wide array of functions that sustain terrestrial ecosystems and human well-being. These functions encompass physical support for plant growth, storage and regulation of water and ...

In a study tracking climate-induced changes in the distribution of animals and their effects on ecosystem functions, North Carolina State University researchers show that resident species can continue ...

Freshwater ecosystems and their key component freshwater plants together provide a myriad of key ecosystem services to our society. Yet, global climate change is exerting unprecedented forces on ...

What can fossil records teach scientists about ancient ecosystems and marine environments? This is what a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences hopes to address ...

Many alpine ecosystems are undergoing vegetation degradation because of global change, which is affecting ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. The ecological consequences of alpine pioneer ...

Some of the world's most distinct and ancient animal species, which play crucial roles in our planet's ecosystems, are exploited for the wildlife trade across large parts of the world, according to ...

Across the world, rainforests are becoming savanna or farmland, savanna is drying out and turning into desert, and icy tundra is thawing. Indeed, scientific studies have now recorded “regime shifts” ...