New research suggests that animals play a crucial role in shaping Earth's landscapes, challenging the traditional perception that only geological forces matter. A study published in PNAS estimates that wild animals, such as salmon and elephants, collectively exert 76,000 gigajoules of energy annually to alter their environment, rivaling the impact of numerous floods. This emerging field, termed zoogeomorphology, underscores the long-overlooked influence of animals on geomorphological processes, with historical roots dating back to Charles Darwin’s observations on earthworms.
This paper challenges the perception that animals, despite their nest building or den digging, are merely curiosities and not significant drivers of landscape change.
Researchers estimate that wild freshwater and terrestrial species expend 76,000 gigajoules of energy every year to alter the land around them, equivalent to thousands of floods.
The study of landform evolution due to animals is called zoogeomorphology, a term coined by David Butler in 1992, highlighting animals' significant role.
Charles Darwin recognized as early as 1881 the role of earthworms in soil formation, marking the historical acknowledgment of animals in geomorphological processes.
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