Anthropogenic Effects on Elementomes Across Organisms, Ecosystems, and the Biosphere.

Authors

Josep Peñuelas, Fernando Coello, Javier de la Casa, Sandra Nogué, Marcos Fernandez-Martinez, Romà Ogaya, Jordi Sardans

Published in

Global change biology. Volume 32. Issue 10. Pages e71144.

Abstract

The elemental composition of organisms and ecosystems, termed the "elementome," fundamentally determines biological function and ecosystem processes. These elemental profiles, historically relatively stable over geological timescales, have been profoundly altered by human activity, especially since the Industrial Revolution, giving rise to a novel "human elementome." The number and amounts of elements used biologically and nonbiologically by humans, We synthesized multidisciplinary evidence demonstrating this critical shift, characterized by pervasive imbalances in the ratios of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus driven by extensive anthropogenic inputs, together with the unprecedented mobilization of a wide spectrum of elements, from critical raw materials and fossil fuels to novel technological elements such as rare-earth metals. This shift in the human elementome is therefore at the root of many of the environmental changes observed today, as it profoundly alters the cycling, distribution, and availability of chemical elements across ecosystems. These elemental perturbations have not acted in isolation but have interacted synergistically with physiological stresses induced by elevated concentrations of CO₂, warming, and drought, generating complex emergent effects on life. Our findings highlight a rapid transformation of the fundamental elemental makeup of the biosphere driven by humans, with cascading ecological consequences for ecosystem function and species composition globally. This elemental perspective offers a robust framework for understanding and predicting ecosystem responses in the Anthropocene, informing strategies for conserving biodiversity and managing ecosystems.

PMID:
42897989
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 20 Oct 2026.

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