Seabird guano is a vital nutrient source that drives "biogeomorphic feedbacks," shifting plant communities toward sediment-stabilizing species that physically reshape coastal landscapes. Van Rees and others demonstrate that guano-derived nitrogen enhances vegetation productivity and sediment retention, particularly in nutrient-poor sandy environments. These findings suggest that declining seabird populations could indirectly accelerate habitat loss due to the critical role of seabirds as "ecosystem engineers" who help build the very landscapes they depend on for survival, which has clear conservation implications.

This study demonstrates how increasingly long eddy covariance time series open new opportunities to advance understanding of biosphere–atmosphere interactions. By examining climate-smart management practices in an intensively managed grassland, the authors show how management decisions can stabilize key ecosystem processes, enhance resilience, and partially offset the negative impacts of climate extremes on productivity. The findings provide valuable observational evidence with direct relevance for climate adaptation strategies in agroecosystems and for informing management and policy decisions at local to regional scales.