If all humans and animals were to disappear, what would happen to the environment over time?

Question: If all humans and animals were to disappear, what would happen to the environment over time?
- Keywords:
  animal,
  disappear,
  environment,
  human
Asked by Anna to Huma, Jack, Lucy, Miranda, Peter on 13 Nov 2016.
- Peter Boorman answered on 13 Nov 2016:
  
  Hi Anna,
  
  Animals are very useful to plants for spreading pollen so that they can grow in many different places. Without animals to help do this, I guess plants might slowly decline. However, I’m not sure, since lots of planets also spread their pollen in other ways, such as using the wind etc.
  
  Peter

Question: If all humans and animals were to disappear, what would happen to the environment over time?