Dramatic Decline in Marine Movements Since Industrial Revolution

A groundbreaking study reveals that since the Industrial Revolution, the movements of marine animals have been significantly reduced due to fishing and whaling activities. In sharp contrast, human movements have surged by 40-fold, illustrating the profound changes in mobility on the planet.

Published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, the findings indicate that human-induced movement vastly exceeds that of all land animals combined, largely driven by factors such as population growth, motor vehicles, fossil fuel use, and infrastructure development.

The research, conducted by scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science, among others, underscores a dramatic increase in movement in high-income countries, where an extensive network of transport modes propels human mobility to staggering heights compared to low-income regions.