Biodiversity Loss: Extinction Every 24 hours

According to IUCN Red List assessment of 2017, 86,313 species were evaluated and of this number 24,431 species are threatened with extinction as compare to 16,308 in 2007. This includes both endangered animals and plants. Scientists estimate that 150-200 species of plants, insects, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals become extinct every 24 hours. This is nearly 1,000 times the “natural”. Biologists say this rate is greater than anything the world has experienced since the vanishing of the dinosaurs nearly 65m years ago. Although extinction is a natural phenomenon, it occurs at a natural “background” rate of about 1 to 5 species per year, but today scientists estimate we're now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background rate, with literally dozens going extinct every day. With these rate humans are bound to have a terrifying future ahead, with as many as 30 to 50 percent of all species possibly heading toward extinction by mid-century. This rate of extinction has ushered in the Sixth Mass Extinction episode.

Extinction rates are further aggravate as the extinction of one species on the food web may disrupt the entire ecosystem and this may result to serious ecological inbalance bring about further extinction of more species. For example the extinction of certain species such as large predators and pollinators has resulted in the decline and eventual extinction of several other species. In the tropical rainforests almost all flowering plants are pollinated by animals, and an estimated one-third of the human diet in tropical countries is derived from insect-pollinated plants. It therefore implies that, a decline of forest dwelling pollinators impedes plant reproduction not only in forests but also in neighbouring agricultural areas visited by these species.

Some species serves as buffers between humans and pathogens that could prove extremely dangerous. The ability of tadpoles to feed on the larvae of mosquitoes, could have an impact on mosquito populations. Mosquitos and tadpoles of frogs and toad breed in the same environment which include stagnant water in puddles, pools, ditches, swamps, and water-filled containers and also at the same period (mainly during the wet seasons). These breeding areas and time clash act as the real combat zone for these species. In this simple food chain it therefor shows that the extinction of frogs and toads will lead to the extinction of tadpoles resulting in increase in the population of mosquitos and eventual increase in the spread of insect borne diseases which may increase the death of other species.

Though there may be great uncertainties in the number of species and in the figures of species extinction rates presented by different researchers using different extinction models, the certainty of species decline and eventual extinction is very evident around our different environment today. Using the Abongphen Highland Forest and the Bamenda Highlands as example, these forest areas 30 - 100 years ago was home to elephants, buffalos, and leopards but today these species have gone into local extinction meaning it can no longer be seen in these forests.

The figures of species extinction may be questionable but one fact still stands species are disappearing because of human activities on the environment and humans are also feeling the impact of extinction. To halt this hourly catastrophe man needs to take action and that action starts now. Join us at the Abongphen Highland Forest to reverse this frightening trend and make the world a better place.

Manka Grace

@manka (read more about me here)
content creator of @kedjom-keku association and fund-raising and upvoting bot @treeplanter
member of Forest Friendly Family

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sources:

1. http://cmsdocs.s3.amazonaws.com/summarystats/2017-1_Summary_Stats_Page_Documents/2017_1_RL_Stats_Table_1.pdf
2. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/un-environment-programme-_n_684562.html
3. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/biodiversity/elements_of_biodiversity/extinction_crisis/
4. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:21928/FULLTEXT01.pdf
5. http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_9/Issue_1/Hocking_Babbitt_2014.pdf

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