Adam Wolf

Alifa Haque

Christensen

Christopher E. Doughty

de Groot

Elisabeth S. Bakker

Gresh

Jens-Christian Svenning

Joe Roman

John B. Dunning

Reimchen

Søren Faurby

Tyrberg

Yadvinder Malhi

Significance
          Animals play an important role in the transport of nutrients, but this role has diminished because many of the largest animals have gone extinct or experienced massive population declines. Here, we quantify the movement of nutrients by animals in the land, sea, rivers, and air both now and prior to their widespread reductions. The capacity to move nutrients away from hotspots decreased to 6% of past values across land and ocean. The vertical movement of phosphorus (P) by marine mammals was reduced by 77% and movement of P from sea to land by seabirds and anadromous fish was reduced by 96%, effectively disrupting an efficient nutrient distribution pump that once existed from the deep sea to the continental interiors.</jats:p

Crossref

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Global nutrient transport in a world of giants

Global nutrient transport in a world of giants

Abstract

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