A groundbreaking new framework introduced by an international consortium of scientists, led by S. Kathleen Lyons from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is reshaping our understanding of how organisms, including humans, have profoundly engineered Earth’s ecosystems over geological timescales. Termed “Earth system engineering,” this conceptual advance transcends the traditional idea of ecosystem engineering by focusing on biological processes that drive planetary-scale environmental transformations over hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years. The framework, recently published in Trends in Ecology and Evolution, calls for a fundamental reassessment of how life shapes the Earth system itself.
Conventional ecosystem engineering emphasizes how individual species or groups modify their immediate physical environment to enhance survival and reproduction. Classic examples include beavers constructing dams that alter stream flow or prairie plants influencing soil composition locally. These engineering actions, while ecologically significant, typically have limited spatial and temporal footprints. In contrast, Earth system engineering expands this perspective by investigating biological mechanisms that have altered Earth’s chemical, physical, and climatic systems on a global scale through deep time, thereby affecting the planet’s entire biosphere and geosphere.
The scientists highlight that Earth system engineering includes processes that have cumulatively restructured planetary function, such as the advent of photosynthesis, which profoundly increased atmospheric oxygen and enabled the proliferation of animal life. Similarly, the evolution of rooting systems in ancient prairie plants drastically changed soil structure and nutrient cycles, with cascading effects that reshaped terrestrial ecosystems. These transformations involved multiple species working through complex interactions, reinforcing the idea that Earth system engineering is a collective biological phenomenon rather than the act of individual species.
A central question motivating the framework is whether humans represent a unique class of Earth system engineers, distinguished by the unparalleled scale and diversity of their environmental modifications. Human activities — including fossil fuel combustion, urbanization, and large-scale animal husbandry — have disrupted planetary processes to an unprecedented degree and pace. The framework offers tools to compare human-driven changes to past natural events, helping to contextualize humanity’s role within Earth’s evolutionary narrative and assess potential future trajectories amid ongoing climate change and biodiversity loss.
This novel perspective arose from a collaborative 2020 National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network Grant. Lyons, acting as the lead principal investigator, alongside co-principal investigators Simon Darroch and Peter Wagner, synthesized interdisciplinary data from paleontology, ecology, earth system science, and evolutionary biology. The integration of fossil records with modern observations enabled the team to formalize the concept of Earth system engineering, creating a unified terminology and framework to distinguish local ecosystem effects from those with biosphere-wide significance.
One of the technical strengths of this framework lies in its multi-scale, multi-temporal approach to defining engineering behaviors. It recognizes that some biological influences occur over millennia or longer, transforming Earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere in ways that support diverse life. Detecting these signals requires sophisticated analyses of geochemical proxies, sedimentary records, and fossil evidence, bridging disciplines to unravel life’s role in shaping planetary habitability.
Lyons emphasizes that formalizing Earth system engineering advances evolutionary theory by layering a systemic understanding of how engineering behaviors impact macroevolutionary patterns. The framework could lead to predictive models about how current anthropogenic impacts might sculpt the biosphere’s future, informing conservation strategies and climate policy. By framing humanity as potentially the latest Earth system engineers, researchers can leverage deep-time analogs to better anticipate the cascading effects of global change.
The paper’s implications extend beyond academia, potentially transforming public discourse about human-environment interactions. Contrasting the relatively localized impacts of classic ecosystem engineering with the planet-wide consequences of Earth system engineering underscores the scale of responsibility humanity holds. This conceptual shift may fuel more informed discussions about sustainability, planetary stewardship, and technological interventions designed to mitigate or amplify bioengineering effects.
The working group’s broad institutional representation—from the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History to universities and science museums worldwide—reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the challenge. Such diversity is vital to capture the complexity of interactions spanning biology, geology, atmospheric sciences, and anthropology. The collaborative nature of the project establishes a foundation for future research networks aimed at exploring biosphere processes and their profound impacts on Earth’s history and future trajectories.
Examining past Earth system engineering phenomena reveals how life has repeatedly undertaken transformative roles in reshaping the planet. Photosynthetic cyanobacteria, for example, ushered in the Great Oxygenation Event roughly 2.4 billion years ago, fundamentally altering Earth’s atmosphere and enabling oxygen-dependent fauna. Similarly, terrestrial vegetation influenced weathering processes and climate regulation. Together, these examples demonstrate that Earth system engineering is not novel but rather an intrinsic feature of life’s evolution on the planet.
Humans, however, introduce complexities that are distinct from previous engineering episodes. Whereas earlier biological impacts unfolded gradually through natural evolutionary timescales, anthropogenic forcing has accelerated environmental transformations dramatically within centuries. The combined effects of land use alteration, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity engineering pose novel challenges for interpreting and managing Earth’s future within this framework.
Ultimately, the Earth system engineering framework represents a paradigm shift in environmental science and evolutionary biology. By providing a language and structure to analyze planetary-scale biological influences, it empowers researchers to better decipher the biosphere’s past and project its future. As this framework gains traction, it promises to unify disparate strands of science while emphasizing the crucial role of living organisms as architects of Earth’s dynamic system.
Subject of Research: Animals
Article Title: ‘Earth system engineers’ and the cumulative impact of organisms in deep time
News Publication Date: 23-Sep-2025
Web References:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2025.08.005
Keywords: Earth system engineering, ecosystem engineering, planetary ecology, biosphere, evolutionary biology, climate change, biodiversity, photosynthesis, fossil record, human impact, deep time, environmental transformation
