By Jon Fern
A recent study published in Nature has outlined the main threats to species around the globe, and its consensus is that a major extinction event could occur within the next century. The event, which some commentators suggest is already well underway, is known as the Holocene extinction, named for the geological age in which we are living. It is also referred to in the literature as the sixth extinction, since there have already been five major extinctions in Earth's history.
This is no light matter; the report estimates that there could be as many as 36,000 species disappearing every year. "In general the state of biodiversity is worsening, in many cases significantly," marine ecologist Derek Tittensor says in the report, although in the same source publication Henrique Pereira warns that "There is a huge uncertainty in projecting future extinction rates."
The most at-risk animal groups are amphibians, according to Nature, with 41% of species threatened with extinction. 26% of mammals and 13% of birds are also at risk. There are also an estimated 993 insect species close to extinction, representing an enormous global biomass.
The main threats to biodiversity range from exploitation of individual species, such as the exotic Phillipines tarsier pictured above, which is caught and sold in the pet trade, to outright habitat loss. Other threats include habitat degradation, climate change, competition from invasive species, pollution and disease.
Quantifiying the threat of extinction to the total of living species is problematic, however; it is projected that there could be up to 11 million animal species on Earth, while only around 1.3 million have been described by science. However, the die-off rate of the species we do know about is alarming, as are the links to anthropogenic climate change and habitat removal, and the weight of evidence suggests that whether or not a mass extinction event is currently underway, or is on the horizon, humanity's self-appointed role as custodian of life on Earth is questionable to say the least.
For more information on endangered species, please visit the IUCN Red List website.
Picture credit: 'Phillipine Tarsier' copyright of Jeremy Villasis, all rights reserved.
