Energy flows reveal declining ecosystem functions by animals across Africa

Output - Publications

New research reveals that Africa’s wildlife ecosystems are running on less than two-thirds of the power they once had – threatening the vitality of the continent’s landscapes and the livelihoods they support.

Photo by Pieter van Noorden on Unsplash
Publications LCNR supported Ecology

Nature (2025)

Africa’s ecosystems are running on less than two-thirds of the natural energy they once had, according to new Oxford-led research published today in Nature. The study reveals a dramatic loss of wildlife “power” across the continent – the energy that drives vital ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling and seed dispersal – posing growing risks to biodiversity and the livelihoods that depend on it.