extinction
Newsletter
Credit: hartono subagio/Pixabay
Sea-level rise causes extinction of Key Largo tree cactus
Rising sea levels have driven the Key Largo tree cactus to extinction in the U.S., highlighting the immediate impact of climate change on coastal species.
In short:
- The Key Largo tree cactus, native to Florida Keys, has gone extinct in the U.S. due to rising sea levels and soil salinity.
- Hurricanes, particularly Hurricane Irma, and saltwater intrusion from higher tides accelerated the cactus's decline.
- Efforts to conserve the species continue, with seeds and plant fragments cultivated in nurseries and seed banks.
Key quote:
“It’s a big deal when we lose species from an entire country.”
— George Gann, executive director, Institute for Regional Conservation
Why this matters:
This extinction exemplifies how climate change is already causing species loss, particularly in coastal areas. The fate of the Key Largo tree cactus foreshadows similar risks for other vulnerable coastal species.
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Credit: Don Henderson/Flickr
Protecting species from extinction is not enough
The loss of species abundance poses a serious threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functionality.
In short:
- Abalone populations have collapsed due to overfishing and environmental changes, including a marine heatwave and a sunflower sea star epidemic.
- The concerning issue is not species extinction but the collapse of wildlife populations, disrupting ecosystems.
- The decline of species like abalone signifies a broader biodiversity crisis driven by human activities such as pollution and habitat destruction.
Key quote:
"The more we slow climate change, the more evolutionary storylines can reach into the future. In other words, climate policy is biodiversity policy."
— John Reid, founder, Conservation Strategy Fund.
Why this matters:
The decline in species abundance affects ecosystem stability and human cultural heritage. Addressing this crisis requires comprehensive conservation strategies that go beyond preventing extinction to ensure the health and abundance of wildlife populations. Read more: The planet’s largest ecosystems could collapse faster than we thought.
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Newsletter
Credit: Victoria Pickering/Flickr
Migratory species face a global decline, UN warns
Nearly half of the world's migratory animals are declining, with many at risk of extinction, highlighting the urgent need for global conservation efforts.
In short:
- About 44% of migratory species are decreasing in population due to habitat loss, illegal activities, pollution, and climate change.
- The United Nations report emphasizes the critical role of migration in species survival and the interconnectedness of ecosystems across borders.
- Conservation measures and international cooperation are being discussed to protect these species and their habitats.
Key quote:
"Migration is essential for some species. If you cut the migration, you’re going to kill the species."
— Stuart Pimm, ecologist at Duke University.
Why this matters:
The decline of migratory species is emblematic of broader environmental issues that affect global biodiversity and ecosystem health. Migratory animals face a perilous journey, often navigating a toxic trail amongst threatened habitat.
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Credit: Ninara/Flickr
Africa’s birds of prey are in decline, a new study finds
Numbers have dropped, in some cases sharply, for nearly all of the 42 raptor species surveyed in sub-Saharan regions.
Newsletter
Most money for endangered species goes to a small number of creatures, leaving others in limbo
Since passage of the Endangered Species Act 50 years ago, more than 1,700 plants, mammals, fish, insects and other species in the U.S. have been listed as threatened or endangered with extinction.
Image by John French from Pixabay
A quarter of freshwater fish are at risk of extinction, a new assessment finds
A global update from the leading authority on the status of species shows that climate change is compounding other threats to plants and animals.
Nearly half of the world’s flowering plants face the threat of extinction, study says
A group of scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in Richmond, U.K., built a model that uses artificial intelligence, or AI, to guess whether a plant species is threatened. They found that a less colorful world looms on our horizon.
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