Number of Species at Risk of Extinction Doubles To 2 Million, Says Study (theguardian.com) 21
Two million species are at risk of extinction, a figure that is double previous UN estimates, new analysis has found. From a report: While scientists have long documented the decline of species of plants and vertebrates, there has always been significant uncertainty over insects, with the UN making a "tentative estimate" of 10% threatened with extinction in 2019. Since then, more data has been collected on insects, showing the proportion at risk of extinction is much higher than previously estimated. Because there are so many insect species, this doubles the global number of species at risk, according to the paper, published in Plos One on Wednesday.
Lead researcher, Axel Hochkirch, from the Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle in Luxembourg, said: "What our study does is really highlight that insects are as threatened as other taxa. And because they are the most species-rich group of animals on our planet, this is really something which should be addressed." Understanding what is happening to global insect populations has been challenging because of the lack of data - but 97% of all animals are invertebrates. Of that group, about 90% are classified as insects. They provide vital ecosystem services: pollinating crops, recycling nutrients into soils, and decomposing waste. "Without insects, our planet will not be able to survive," Hochkirch said. The team looked at all European species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species. This is considered the most comprehensive source of information on species at risk. They found a fifth of European species were at risk of extinction, with 24% of invertebrates at risk, as well as 27% of all plants and 18% of vertebrates.
Lead researcher, Axel Hochkirch, from the Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle in Luxembourg, said: "What our study does is really highlight that insects are as threatened as other taxa. And because they are the most species-rich group of animals on our planet, this is really something which should be addressed." Understanding what is happening to global insect populations has been challenging because of the lack of data - but 97% of all animals are invertebrates. Of that group, about 90% are classified as insects. They provide vital ecosystem services: pollinating crops, recycling nutrients into soils, and decomposing waste. "Without insects, our planet will not be able to survive," Hochkirch said. The team looked at all European species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species. This is considered the most comprehensive source of information on species at risk. They found a fifth of European species were at risk of extinction, with 24% of invertebrates at risk, as well as 27% of all plants and 18% of vertebrates.
The problem with this situation: (Score:1)
Most of them won't be missed until it's far too late. Hopefully the really important ones will also be the ones that are genetically simple enough to be recreated with current or near-future technology, or we're good and fucked already.
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What makes a species important? Its taste? Cuteness? Pharmaceutical properties? I mean chicken is “important” to a lot of people for that reason right? I am sure a chicken would be delighted to hear that.
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Well, it's definitely not cuteness.
Re: The problem with this situation: (Score:3)
Position in the ecosystem, obviously. Which is often less than well understood.
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Position in the ecosystem, obviously. Which is often less than well understood.
I've always wondered about ticks. I mean possums eat them, but mostly as a little snack. But otherwise they seem to be mostly a nasty disease vector.
Full disclosure, I managed to contract Lyme disease, and it's not much fun. I'm not as badly affected as some. Some folks get a combo of joint destruction and something like Chronic fatigue syndrome.
I go through a lot of picardin spray now when I'm outside. Deet works too, but it makes my skin feel hot.
What I want is a monthly skin treatment like dogs a
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The wars that will result from climate change will kill far more people than the changing climate itself could hope to.
Wars resulting from climate change are effects of climate change. Same as famines for instance (those are not just "a lack of food happening ex nihilo").
But I do agree that a lot of unpleasant things are coming with climate change, and not just a few more hot days per year.
Re: The problem with this situation: (Score:2)
How could it possibly ever be "too late"? (Score:2)
Don't you believe in evolution?
All life on Earth presumably began with a spark of life in a pool of primordial ooze and EVERYTHING alive since evolved (often in very hostile conditions) to fill all the niches of the ecosystem. If you indeed believe that life is that capable of evolving to fill holes in the ecosystem, then surely you know that any new holes that open up due to something going extinct will eventually be filled by a newly evolved organism that's, in all likelihood, superior to the one that wen
Too many poisons (Score:3)
A gigantic amount of insecticides get sprayed on crops, and it doesn't all just stay there. We are poisoning the planet for insects.
Stop shopping (Score:2)
Just in time for Christmas!
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Distinction without a difference. (Score:2)
Meh (Score:2)
I mean, how many fucking different species of beetles and newts does a planet really need?