The human population appropriates about one-third of global aboveground terrestrial productivity, but we have only a limited knowledge of the consequences of this effect.

Decreasing energy available for natural ecosystems will most probably lead to the decrease of organism abundance and biological diversity, ultimately leading to the loss of functioning of natural systems.

Such a loss may potentially severely affect also human production systems, since they are inevitably tightly interlinked with natural systems.

Changes in energy availability may consequently impede the potential for biodiversity conservation as well as the sustainability of ecosystem services necessary for maintaining human population.

Problem calls for a new research agenda and urgent policy measures