Fri Nov 07 00:30:00 UTC 2025: News Article:

Humans’ Biomass Movement Dwarfs That of All Wild Animals, Study Finds

Bengaluru, November 7, 2025 – A groundbreaking study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution reveals that the biomass movement of humans far surpasses that of all wild land animals combined. Researchers estimate human biomass movement at a staggering 4,000 Gt/km/yr, over 40 times greater than wild land mammals, arthropods, and birds combined.

The study defines biomass movement as the total biomass of a species multiplied by the distance it actively travels annually. While the Arctic tern, a small bird, undertakes an impressive 90,000 km journey between poles each year, its overall impact is minimal due to its small size.

“It exemplifies how our species is a planetary scale force that is stronger than other species.” Says Professor Ron Milo, a co-author of the paper from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, told The Hindu of the human ‘contribution’.

The majority of human movement, averaging 30 km per person per day, relies on motorized vehicles, with cars and motorcycles accounting for approximately 65% of the total. The study also notes that two-thirds of this motorized mobility occurs in high-income and upper-middle-income countries.

Interestingly, the biomass movement of domesticated animals, particularly non-dairy cattle, is comparable to that of humans. In contrast, the biomass movement of marine animals, once the largest in the living world, has halved since 1850 due to industrial fishing and whaling.

Researchers emphasize that the extensive movement of humans has profound effects on ecosystems, influencing nutrient transport, organism dispersal, and overall ecosystem engineering. The study underscores the need for humans to recognize their significant impact on the planet and take responsibility for environmental stewardship.

Summary:

A new study highlights the immense scale of human biomass movement compared to other species. Human movement is estimated to be 40 times greater than the biomass movement of land animals, arthropods and birds combined. The use of motorized vehicles is the key factor. This vast movement has ecological consequences and underscores the need for humans to take responsibility for their planetary impact.

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