Editorial overview: Novel approaches to gauge the human footprint on the biosphere

Human disturbances are altering the biosphere in unprecedented ways. Yet, the precise picture of how these disturbances are altering the biosphere and the consequences for humans and the planet reamain undefined. The knowledge and tools to quantify these impacts are often dispersed across traditionally independent scientific disciplines. This special issue brings together a large diversity of topics and global experts under the common theme of using novel advances and tools to gauge the human footprint on the biosphere. The topics discussed illustrate how the integration of novel tools and approaches is key to quantify and address the most pressing environmental issues affecting our planet today and their potential consequences for humans. The global scope of this special issue provides a roadmap to address these challenges in a diverse range of environments and types of anthropogenetic disturbances.