Study Reveals Animals' Crucial Role in Shaping Earth's Landscapes
New research highlights the significant geomorphological impact of wildlife and warns of the consequences of biodiversity loss.
- A study by Queen Mary University of London demonstrates how animals like beavers, termites, and salmon reshape ecosystems and landscapes.
- Wildlife collectively exerts geomorphological energy comparable to 'hundreds of thousands of extreme floods,' according to the research.
- The study analyzed over 500 wild species and found nearly 30% are rare, endemic, or threatened, raising concerns about biodiversity loss.
- Nutrient transport and sedimentation by species such as freshwater crayfish and hippos significantly influence rivers and wetlands.
- Domesticated animals, like cattle and yaks, are estimated to have a geomorphological impact 450 times greater than wild species due to their sheer numbers.