Ecosystems are more complex — and more resilient — than we thought

The study involved Prof. Michael Obersteiner, Director of the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) and also affiliated with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria. Together with an international team of researchers from Spain, Belgium, and Norway, he found that ecosystems with more complex carbon cycles—how plants absorb and release carbon—can better withstand environmental stresses like unusual weather.

Prof Obersteiner explained:

Nature often looks complex, but that complexity is part of what makes it strong. When ecosystems have more complex carbon dynamics, they are better able to resist disturbances such as droughts or other environmental stress.”

The team analysed long-term data from 57 ecosystems around the world, tracking carbon flows through plant growth and respiration. They discovered that ecosystems exposed to more variable weather showed more complex patterns of carbon movement—and that this complexity helps them remain stable from year to year.

The research also revealed an intriguing trend: ecosystems’ primary productivity—the amount of carbon plants absorb—is becoming increasingly complex over time. This may indicate that ecosystems are adapting to changing conditions, although the exact reasons are not yet fully understood. As Prof Obersteiner notes, “Complexity is not just noise—it’s a key part of how ecosystems function and remain resilient.”

Importantly, the study shows that looking at short-term changes rather than long-term averages can reveal how responsive and dynamic ecosystems really are. By using detailed measurements from forests and grasslands across boreal, temperate, and Mediterranean regions, the research provides valuable insight into how ecosystems cope with change—and how we might better protect them in a rapidly shifting world.

Read the full study in Nature Communications: Temporal complexity of terrestrial ecosystem functioning and its drivers