London: A new study led by Professor Gemma Harvey from Queen Mary University of London has revealed how hundreds of species shape the landscapes we depend on, from termite mounds visible from space to beavers creating wetlands and hippos carving drainage systems.
Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), this first-of-its-kind global synthesis identifies 603 species, genera, or families that influence Earth's surface processes. From tiny ants shifting soil to salmon reshaping riverbeds, the study highlights the diversity and scale of animals' impact across all freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems.
