Fri Nov 07 00:30:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the text provided:
Summary:
A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution reveals that the biomass movement of humans is vastly greater than that of all wild land mammals, arthropods, and birds combined. Humans move an average of 30 km per day, primarily via motorized vehicles, resulting in a biomass movement of 4,000 gt/km/yr. This figure is over 40 times greater than the biomass movement of all wild land animals combined. Meanwhile, the biomass movement of marine animals has been halved since 1850 due to industrial fishing and whaling. Interestingly, the biomass movement of domesticated animals is comparable to that of humans, with non-dairy cattle contributing the most to this movement. The study highlights the significant impact of human mobility on ecosystems and compares it to the movement of animals, demonstrating a massive imbalance driven by human activity.
News Article:
Human Mobility Dwarfs Animal Migration, Massively Impacting Ecosystems, Study Finds
Bengaluru, November 7, 2025 – A groundbreaking study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has revealed the staggering scale of human biomass movement compared to the natural world. Researchers found that human activity, primarily through motorized vehicles, accounts for a biomass movement of 4,000 gigatonnes per kilometer per year (gt/km/yr), a figure more than 40 times greater than that of all wild land mammals, arthropods, and birds combined.
The study highlights the average human travels 30 km per day, mostly using cars, motorcycles, airplanes, and trains. This vast movement has significant implications for ecosystems, as humans transport nutrients, organisms, and influence trophic effects.
“As animals and humans move, they shape ecosystems in myriad ways,” the study notes, emphasizing the direct impact of mobility on comparing human and animal influences.
Meanwhile, the biomass movement of marine animals has been halved since 1850 due to industrial fishing and whaling, indicating a dramatic shift in the balance of the world’s ecosystem caused by the Anthropocene epoch.
Intriguingly, the study also found that the biomass movement of domesticated animals is on par with that of humans, with non-dairy cattle being the largest contributors.
The findings underscore the profound influence of human activity on the planet and raise concerns about the long-term ecological consequences of such immense mobility. The research urges further investigation into the ways human movement shapes ecosystems and how to mitigate potential negative impacts.
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