Evolutionary change in trait variation has the potential to affect the ecosystem tipping points that are of concern in a world undergoing anthropogenic change.

Charles Lee, Daniel Laughlin et al. use structural equation modeling to analyze ecological data from more than 500 sites in the Antarctic Dry Valleys. They find that although abiotic factors are the primary drivers of biodiversity variation, biotic interactions are needed to explain the data fully and may play previously underestimated roles.

It is unclear whether CO₂-stimulation of photosynthesis can propagate through slower ecosystem processes and lead to long-term increases in terrestrial carbon. Here the authors show that CO₂-stimulation of photosynthesis leads to a 30% increase in forest regrowth over a decade of CO₂ enrichment.

Abandoned and degraded agricultural lands undergo ecological succession that sequesters atmospheric CO₂ as soil carbon, but at low rates. Here the authors show that restoration of high plant diversity provides a greenhouse gas benefit by greatly increasing the rate of soil carbon sequestration on such lands.