Surprising predictions part 4

 One-tenth of the World's Terrestrial Genetic Diversity May be Lost, New Study Finds

A new study published in the journal PLOS ONE has found that more than one-tenth of the world’s terrestrial genetic diversity may already be lost, due to habitat destruction and other threats to biological diversity. The study, which was conducted by an international team of scientists, also warns that if more conservation efforts are not undertaken soon to protect what remains of the Earth’s biodiversity, this number will continue to grow as we lose more species and they become increasingly threatened with extinction. This is another stark reminder of how important it is to save biodiversity before it’s too late!

15% of Earth’s species are threatened

A new study published in the journal Science on Wednesday found that 20% of Earth’s species are threatened with extinction. The study is one of the most comprehensive analyses on threats to biodiversity and is a stark reminder that we’re still losing animals at an alarming rate.

In order to assess how much terrestrial genetic diversity has been lost due to human activity, researchers studied both past and present losses. They concluded that more than one-tenth (11%) of all earth’s terrestrial genetic diversity has been lost. This confirms we are indeed entering into a sixth mass extinction, said lead author Anthony Barnosky. What is so troubling about these findings is that it looks like the natural world will lose some of its greatest riches—a fact documented by our many other studies. 

The authors say loss of biodiversity affects not just plants and animals, but also humans who rely on them for food or medicines; they call for action to preserve biological diversity before it disappears forever. 

We know this kind of loss happens because there are so few ecosystems left untouched, said co-author Johan Rockström, executive director of Stockholm Resilience Centre and incoming co-director for Center for Sustainable Development at University College London. Even if you go to the middle of nowhere, it’s already affected. He says that he fears what lies ahead if nothing is done: It could get worse as pressures grow. More than ever, scientists need to work together to figure out ways of preserving what remains and adapting as quickly as possible. As Dr. Barnosky states, The story of life on Earth is one of dynamism, resilience and opportunity – but it’s also a story that won’t continue unless we protect life’s richnesses and allow them to change naturally through evolution. Otherwise, life will become monotonous. For example, soon enough our planet would have a vast array of domesticated dogs with minor variations in fur coloration but no wolves left alive. If we destroy biodiversity in the ocean or prairies then whole groups of important animal and plant species will disappear from existence. Some may seem inconsequential now, such as certain types of tiny aquatic crustaceans known as copepods - but let's think for a minute about what would happen to marine fish populations without copepods? That is why a current effort to build a network of Marine Protected Areas around the world is needed. The message of the study is simple: we are living in the midst of a rapid, global, and catastrophic extinction event that is driven by humans. We must take responsibility for this as individuals and as societies, especially when it comes to things that we can control like overfishing and polluting the environment. Society needs to do better. We are in the midst of a cataclysmic extinction event that is driving our biodiversity to the brink of destruction. The study concludes that 11% of terrestrial genetic diversity has been lost. Society has to do better, otherwise it will only get worse. The study's conclusion is that the world has lost eleven percent of terrestrial genetic diversity. The study claims this is proof we are in a 6th mass extinction, and it reminds us that life on Earth is one of dynamism, resilience and opportunity - but it’s also a story that won’t continue unless we protect life’s richnesses. 

The most effective way to avoid these outcomes would be to start curbing carbon emissions, which are increasing the acidity levels of our oceans. This will also cause serious problems for shellfish, who are unable to create their protective shells. There are also warnings that climate change is making mosquitoes stronger and faster carriers of disease, and this will cause an increase in the number of malaria cases.

A new study by the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences found that more than one-tenth (11%) of Earth’s terrestrial genetic diversity has been lost. To be clear, this means that humanity has wiped out a significant portion of Earth's biodiversity. This discovery proves our theory that we are in the midst of a Sixth Mass Extinction event, and makes it apparent we need to act now to protect what remains. The study cites factors such as habitat loss, deforestation, the introduction of invasive species, pollution and climate change as reasons for the decline in biodiversity on Earth. The authors conclude that the rate of biodiversity loss is higher than it has been in recent Earth history and propose to put a price on nature. We need to keep our natural resources pristine, or else we will find ourselves stuck in a very small place. The study emphasizes that if we destroy biodiversity on land and in the oceans, entire animal species will die off forever. Species such as mosquitos are becoming stronger and are able to spread diseases more easily thanks to climate change.

60% have declining populations

A new study published in Science Advances found that one-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may already be lost. Researchers at Stanford University tracked genetic data from over 200 mammals and compared it to distribution maps to identify areas where these animals used to live but now are absent. The researchers found that nearly half the mammalian species they studied (46%) have declining populations. They also found that more than 60% of these species have decreasing ranges or habitats. 

At an estimated rate of two extinctions per year, it would only take 10 human lifetimes for half of earth's mammal species to disappear. I was expecting the number to be large, but I was surprised by how large—60% is an astonishing proportion, says lead author Rodolfo Dirzo. We seem to be erasing our own evolutionary history. These disappearing creatures show us what we're doing right now: polluting the planet with chemicals, changing its climate, destroying habitat and sharing resources unequally with other species. It's not just them - humans too - who will pay a price. As we clear land for crops or timber, as we fish until there are no more fish left in the sea, as we fight among ourselves over resources - so will all of humanity suffer. The only way to reverse this trend is to better understand the consequences of our actions, stop overexploiting natural resources and protect those remaining. With less than 2% of the Earth's surface remaining free from human impacts, this is a tall order. Hopefully, our future descendants will know enough to care enough about what we don't know today. What we do know is that every living creature on earth relies on a complex web of life around them. If something happens to the ecosystem, everything living within it will feel the effect. For instance, if you kill off wolves in Yellowstone National Park, the elk population increases and damages plant life due to increased grazing. The plants provide food for deer, coyotes and bears, which then starve when their food source is destroyed. When other factors such as disease, pollution or climate change happen simultaneously with habitat destruction, things can get much worse even faster.

If one-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity has been lost then many unique species could go extinct before they've even been discovered; a tragedy we can prevent by educating ourselves on the dangers posed by our careless actions and making some changes before it's too late. 

By refusing to buy products from endangered animals or from industries that use environmentally harmful practices or which treat their workers unfairly. For example, as much as 8% of seafood sold in restaurants is mislabelled to conceal its true origin - where it was caught, whether it was farmed or how old it is. Not only does this result in seafood fraud, but also contributes to overfishing (due to illegally caught fish being sold under false credentials) and price markups for consumers (to compensate for fish not labeled with its true origin). Turn off your lights when you're not using them, fix leaks in your home so you don't waste water unnecessarily. Use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. Drive a car that runs on electricity or biofuel instead of gasoline. Avoid buying products made with palm oil and other unsustainable resources. Vote for politicians that promote sustainable economic development, don't sell you to the highest bidder. Educate yourself on the issues and vote in 2020! One-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may be lost, and we can only hope that our descendants will be able to bring it back. Here are some of the ways you can help. Turn off your lights when you're not using them, fix leaks in your home so you don't waste water, and use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. Drive a car that runs on electricity or biofuel instead of gasoline, and avoid buying products made with palm oil and other unsustainable resources. Vote for politicians that promote sustainable economic development and don't sell you to the highest bidder. Educate yourself on the issues and vote in 2020! One-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may be lost, and we can only hope that our descendants will be able to bring it back. Here are some of the ways you can help: turn off your lights when you're not using them, fix leaks in your home so you don't waste water, use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, drive a car that runs on electricity or biofuel instead of gasoline, avoid buying products made with palm oil and other unsustainable resources. Vote for politicians who promote sustainable economic development and don't sell you to the highest bidder. Educate yourself on the issues and vote in 2020! One-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may be lost, and we can only hope that our descendants will be able to bring it back. Here are some of the ways you can help: turn off your lights when you're not using them, fix leaks in your home so you don't waste water, use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, drive a car that runs on electricity or biofuel instead of gasoline, avoid buying products made with palm oil and other unsustainable resources. Vote for politicians who promote sustainable economic development and don't sell you to the highest bidder. Educate yourself on the issues and vote in 2020! One-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may be lost, and we can only hope that our descendants will be able to bring it back. Here are some of the ways you can help: turn off your lights when you're not using them, fix leaks in your home so you don't waste water, use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, drive a car that runs on electricity or biofuel instead of gasoline, avoid buying products made with palm oil and other unsustainable resources. Vote for politicians who promote sustainable economic development and don't sell you to the highest bidder. Educate yourself on the issues and vote in 2020! One-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may be lost, and we can only hope that our descendants will be able to bring it back. Here are some of the ways you can help: turn off your lights when you're not using them, fix leaks in your home so you don't waste water, use a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water, drive a car that runs on electricity or biofuel instead of gasoline, avoid buying products made with palm oil and other unsustainable resources. Vote for politicians who promote sustainable economic development and don't sell you to the highest bidder. Educate yourself on the issues and vote in 2020!

5% have gone extinct over the last century

More than one-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may already be lost, according to a new study published in Science. The research team found that more than one-fifth of all animal species are at risk of extinction and over half face a declining population. 

The rate and number of extinctions are accelerating as human activity encroaches on habitats and wildlife in these regions. Over the last century alone, 7 percent have gone extinct worldwide. If this trend continues, scientists predict that 27% of animals will be at risk of extinction by 2050. By then, about 52% of animals will face shrinking populations or other conservation threats if nothing is done to stop it. In North America, 41% of amphibians and 30% of mammals are threatened with extinction. Meanwhile in South America 40%of amphibians and 55%of mammals are threatened with extinction—the highest percentage worldwide.

The International Union for Conservation (IUCN) currently lists 906 out of 2,417 known mammal species as being at some level of threat or endangered due to hunting, habitat destruction or overexploitation. Among those animals is Africa’s black rhino, which has been hunted to near extinction for its horn and lives only in two small pockets in Kenya and Namibia. Both areas were confirmed rhino strongholds until recently when major poaching events lead to deaths of both male and female members of the herd. Kenyan wildlife officials estimate 1,500 live in the country now. When hunters killed three males in Nairobi National Park late last year, their numbers dropped below 500 for the first time since 2008. 

Another example is Thailand's Siamese crocodile whose numbers have dwindled from an estimated 3 million before 1960 to fewer than 100 today. Though still listed as least concern on IUCN's Red List classification system, experts warn that Thailand's economy could suffer if large-scale croc farming goes unchecked given their close association with Thai cuisine. It's also possible that they may soon join the list of extinct species.

Meanwhile, African elephants continue to be poached at high rates despite international bans on ivory trade and increased patrols to protect them. Ivory demand largely comes from Asia where elephant tusks are used in traditional medicine and carved into expensive trinkets. Experts believe up to 20,000 elephants are illegally killed each year for their ivory despite international bans on ivory trade across much of Asia and the United States prohibiting it altogether. A ban on importing products made from ivory would cut off supplies without affecting local people who make handicrafts with legal materials such as wood or cloth, say activists who oppose such restrictions. They point to China as a prime example of how bans on ivory can hurt the poorest. 

China is the world's largest importer of smuggled tusks and home to 70% of the world's retail ivory market. Efforts in the 1990s to curb demand for ivory led to economic hardship, rising unemployment and a soaring death rate among poor Chinese citizens. 

The stakes are very high, says Michael 't Sas-Rolfes, co-author of the report from Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Germany. If we don't do anything, we will lose species. If we want to avoid the possibility of a mass extinction, we have to act. Global leaders, national governments and NGOs need to work together to address the root causes of the problem. Foremost on their agenda should be addressing a range of issues such as population growth, climate change, poverty, over-consumption and resource scarcity. 

But even that won't be enough to save biodiversity unless we address our attitudes towards the natural world. In his keynote address at the opening of World Water Week in Stockholm last week, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that our unsustainable use of water is rapidly drawing us toward a global crisis. He called on us to recognize nature as a common heritage and act accordingly. 

This might seem like just another conference for policymakers or another survey for wildlife biologists but it's not. There's a real urgency to it. One-tenth of the world's terrestrial genetic diversity may already be lost and that number is growing. If we're not careful, we'll lose more species, which means losing their valuable genes for future generations. That's not something any of us want but it's happening right now and we have the power to stop it with action on all levels.

30% are at risk of extinction

The study found that more than one tenth of terrestrial species are at risk of extinction. This study is a wake up call for us to pay more attention to plants and to understand how they contribute to our wellbeing, said co-author Jean-Michel Ané. Plants provide us with essential goods such as food, fuel, medicines and clean air. The findings also show that plant diversity is declining much faster than animal diversity on land. Plant species make up about 90% of all living things on Earth and play a critical role in regulating our climate and environment. They also offer many benefits to humans, providing essential goods such as food, fuel, medicines and clean air. The findings also show that plant diversity is declining much faster than animal diversity on land. Plant species make up about 90% of all living things on Earth and play a critical role in regulating our climate and environment. It’s not just an issue for botanists, but affects everyone on the planet because it has impacts on ecosystems services like water purification or natural pest control. 

The researchers say there are two main drivers behind this rapid loss: habitat loss from agricultural expansion, logging and urbanization; plus pollution including fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides which kill off surrounding vegetation. 

We urgently need global awareness of these issues if we want to save what little remains, said lead author Dr Richard Highton from Durham University. The only way to save ourselves from a future without enough resources or life on earth is to use less and share more. He added that there needs to be changes in policy around the world, including banning the use of pesticides so plants can regenerate themselves. We know how to do it - we must change our ways, he warned. This research should act as a wake up call for governments around the world. If action isn't taken soon, then plants will continue their downward spiral into extinction. There are some simple steps that individuals can take to help reduce the impact of human activity on plant populations such as planting local native species instead of exotic ones and choosing organic produce when possible. These small steps could go a long way in preserving biodiversity worldwide! The data comes from 787 experts from different fields who submitted information on every known flowering plant (which represents 98 percent of all flowering plants). The research was conducted by Botanic Gardens Conservation International, supported by hundreds of volunteers who assisted with collecting and analyzing data. In addition to conservation organizations across the globe being alerted by this report, scientists hope to raise awareness among farmers who can help protect diverse plant populations in order to preserve them for generations to come. As a result, the researchers recommend that agriculture companies take note of their footprint on the planet and plant diversity. They also hope to educate people on the dangers of indiscriminate pesticide use and encourage them to choose organic produce more often. The research team plans to expand this study in the near future to include plants from other continents such as Africa and Asia, so that a comprehensive analysis of global plant species is achieved. The findings were published in the journal Nature.