Flowering plants are the foundation of human civilization, providing biomass for food, fuel, and materials to satisfy human needs, dependent on fertile soil, adequate water, and favorable weather. Conversely, failure of any of these inputs has caused catastrophes. Today, human appropriation of biomass is threatening planetary boundaries, inducing social and political unrest worldwide. Human societies are bound to rethink agriculture and forestry to restore and safeguard natural resources while improving the overall quality of life. Here, we explore why and how. Through an evolutionary and quantitative analysis of agriculture, and bridging plant and Earth sciences, we anticipate the advent of a research and policy framework, integrating plant science in all sectors: the economy, local and global governance, and geopolitics.

开花植物是人类文明的基础，依靠肥沃的土壤，充足的水和良好的天气，为满足人类需求提供食物，燃料和材料等生物质。相反，任何这些输入的失败都导致了灾难。如今，人类对生物质的挪用正威胁着地球的边界，在世界范围内引发社会和政治动荡。人类社会必将重新考虑农业和林业，以恢复和保护自然资源，同时改善整体生活质量。在这里，我们探讨原因和方式。通过对农业的进化和定量分析，并将植物和地球科学联系起来，我们预计将出现研究和政策框架，将植物科学纳入所有领域：经济，地方和全球治理以及地缘政治。