The majority of the world's land area is in a precarious state, a map of the Earth's functional biosphere integrity has revealed.

This is the warning of a new study by researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany and the BOKU University in Vienna, Austria.

Functional biosphere integrity is a concept that refers to the plant world's ability to maintain the essential cycles of carbon, water and nitrogen that regulate the Earth system.

It is considered a core element of the Planetary Boundaries framework, alongside biodiversity loss and climate change, for defining a safe operating space for humanity.

"There is an enormous need for civilization to utilize the biosphere—for food, raw materials and, in future, also for climate protection," said paper author

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