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"This engine is grinding to a halt" - Nature slowing down as climate change gains pace
New research from Queen Mary University of London shows nature’s renewal has “significantly” slowed down with rising temperatures, against expectation
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Queen Mary University of London
LONDON — Many ecologists hypothesise that, as global warming accelerates, change in nature must speed up. They assume that as temperatures rise and climatic zones shift, species will face local extinction and colonize new habitats at an ever-increasing rate, leading to a rapid reshuffling of ecological communities.
A new study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and published in Nature Communications shows this is emphatically not the case.
The researchers analyzed a massive database of biodiversity surveys, spanning marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems over the last century. The evidence showed that not only had the "turnover" of species in local habitats not sped up, but instead, it had significantly slowed down.
Dr Emmanuel Nwankwo, lead author of the study, explained: “Nature functions like a self-repairing engine, constantly swapping out old parts for new ones. But we found this engine is now grinding to a halt.”
…
Nwankwo, E.C., Rossberg, A.G. Widespread slowdown in short-term species turnover despite accelerating climate change. Nat Commun 17, 1450 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-68187-1
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Queen Mary University of London
LONDON — Many ecologists hypothesise that, as global warming accelerates, change in nature must speed up. They assume that as temperatures rise and climatic zones shift, species will face local extinction and colonize new habitats at an ever-increasing rate, leading to a rapid reshuffling of ecological communities.
A new study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and published in Nature Communications shows this is emphatically not the case.
The researchers analyzed a massive database of biodiversity surveys, spanning marine, freshwater, and terrestrial ecosystems over the last century. The evidence showed that not only had the "turnover" of species in local habitats not sped up, but instead, it had significantly slowed down.
Dr Emmanuel Nwankwo, lead author of the study, explained: “Nature functions like a self-repairing engine, constantly swapping out old parts for new ones. But we found this engine is now grinding to a halt.”
…
