The Energy of Nature

Energy is the common currency of the natural world. Almost every ecosystem on Earth, from the Arctic tundra to tropical rainforest to the open ocean, is powered by the flow of energy from the sun. Captured by plants, lichens and phytoplankton, this solar energy cascades through food webs, linking species and shaping the vitality of entire landscapes and seascapes. Energy flow is nature’s universal currency, connecting trees and termites, birds and bacteria, into one living, breathing system. Moreover, describing and understanding this flow provides a physically meaningful measure of how ecosystems function, connecting plants, birds, mammals and countless other forms of life.

Our research explores what energy flow can reveal about the functioning and health of ecosystems, as well as its potential to serve as a metric for tracking the decline and recovery of nature. By tracing how energy moves through living systems, we aim to build a mechanistic understanding of the benefits of rewilding and other approaches to restoring the natural world.

To support this, we are exploring the theory and mathematics of energy flow, introducing a new concept we call ecosystem vibrancy. This idea captures the dynamism and vitality of ecosystems as expressed through their energy use and transformation.

More practically, we are applying these approaches in a range of ecosystems around the world. At Oxford University’s Wytham Woods, we are constructing detailed descriptions of energy flow across woodland and farmland landscapes. At FarmED in the Cotswolds, we are investigating how energy moves through the soils of both conventional and regenerative farms, looking at new ways of understanding the ecological health of soils.

In the tropical forests of Borneo, our research has revealed surprising findings: in some cases, forest disturbance can actually enhance energy flow and increase ecosystem vibrancy. The opens up new questions about the ecological value and power of human-modified ecosystems, and questions the use of concepts such as “degraded ecosystems” (Malhi et al. 2022, Nature). We are comparing these Bornean tropical forests with similar studies in the Amazon, exploring how geography and evolutionary history shape patterns of energy use.

We are also exploring what listening to the soundscapes of ecosystems (the science of ecoacoustics) can tell us about the energy flow and function of ecosystems.

In African savannas, we are studying how tree planting and woody encroachment can alter — and sometimes diminish — the vibrancy of these open ecosystems. Meanwhile, in the tundra of Greenland, we are examining how warming and environmental change affect the flow of energy through cold-climate systems.

At larger scales, we are combining energy flow analysis with biodiversity data to assess the ecological power of ecosystems and regions. This integrated view of energy and life offers a new way to measure the vitality of the planet, guiding efforts to restore and sustain the Earth’s ecological power and vibrancy.