Anthropogenic effects, as a biological process, encompass the direct and indirect impacts of human activities on biological systems, altering organismal physiology, behavior, population dynamics, community structure, and ecosystem function. These effects arise from mechanisms such as habitat modification, pollution, overexploitation, introduction of invasive species, and climate forcing via greenhouse gas emissions. At the biological level, anthropogenic effects drive phenotypic plasticity, rapid evolutionary change, altered life-history strategies, and disrupted species interactions (e.g., predation, competition, mutualism). They also modify biogeochemical cycles, primary productivity, and trophic networks, frequently resulting in biodiversity loss, shifts in species ranges, and changes in ecosystem resilience and stability.
A study in Nature finds that with bold and coordinated policy choices—across emissions, diets, food waste, and water and nitrogen efficiency—humanity could, by 2050, bring global environmental pressures back to levels seen ...
Earth Sciences
May 14, 2025
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Over the last decade, humanity's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) have stabilized after a period of huge growth. Average growth is now down to just 0.6% per year, compared to 2% per year in the previous decade. But leveling ...
Environment
May 8, 2025
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70
Slowing human-caused climate change requires decisive action, but the slow upward creep of global temperatures contributes to apathy among people who don't experience regular climate-driven disasters, psychologists say. In ...
Environment
Apr 24, 2025
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While Ukraine has made significant progress in climate action since the 2010s, and undertaken efforts to align its environmental strategy with EU standards, Russia's invasion in 2022 has contributed to environmental devastation ...
Environment
Apr 11, 2025
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Human activity has already warmed the planet by more than one degree Celsius, fueling forest fires, exacerbating floods, super-powering storms and increasing the frequency of deadly heat waves.
Environment
Apr 3, 2025
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30
If you go walking in the wild, you might expect that what you're seeing is natural. All around you are trees, shrubs and grasses growing in their natural habitat.
Environment
Apr 3, 2025
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30
Humans are having a highly detrimental impact on biodiversity worldwide. Not only is the number of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing. These are the findings of a study by Eawag ...
Environment
Mar 26, 2025
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105
Pollution by marine litter of anthropogenic origin—that comes from human activity—is currently one of the biggest environmental concerns given its increasing magnitude, especially due to the considerable amount of plastics ...
Environment
Mar 12, 2025
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