Minerals are widely assumed to protect organic matter (OM) from degradation in the
environment, promoting the persistence of carbon in soil and sediments. In this Review, we …

Vertical migration is a geographically and taxonomically widespread behaviour among
zooplankton that spans across diel and seasonal timescales. The shorter‐term diel vertical …

Pollution caused by plastic debris is an urgent environmental problem. Here, we assessed
the effects of microplastics in the soil surface litter on the formation and characterization of …

Marine megafauna, the largest animals in the oceans, serve key roles in ecosystem
functioning. Yet, one-third of these animals are at risk of extinction. To better understand the …

Sedimentary habitats cover most of the ocean bottom and therefore constitute the largest
single ecosystem on Earth in spatial coverage. The benthic ecosystem contributes to human …

Earthworms have a prominent role in supporting soil functioning and thus in providing key
services to humanity. Their beneficial role relates to effects on soil structure, carbon and …

The term 'bioturbation'is frequently used to describe how living organisms affect the
substratum in which they live. A closer look at the aquatic science literature reveals …

This year is the 50th anniversary of Tinbergen's (1963) article 'On aims and methods of
ethology', where he first outlined the four 'major problems of biology'. The classification of the …

Organic carbon in marine sediments is a critical component of the global carbon cycle, and
its degradation influences a wide range of phenomena, including the magnitude of carbon …

Biodiversity is responsible for the provision of many ecosystem services; human well‐being
is based on these services, and consequently on biodiversity. In soil, earthworms represent …