‘Earth’s sixth mass extinction is
more severe than perceived when looking exclusively at species
extinctions…. That conclusion is based on analyses of the numbers and
degrees of range contraction … using a sample of 27,600 vertebrate
species, and on a more detailed analysis documenting the population
extinctions between 1900 and 2015 in 177 mammal species.’ Their research
found that the rate of population loss in terrestrial vertebrates is
‘extremely high’ – even in ‘species of low concern’.
In their sample, comprising nearly
half of known vertebrate species, 32% (8,851 out of 27,600) are
decreasing; that is, they have decreased in population size and range.
In the 177 mammals for which they had detailed data, all had lost 30% or
more of their geographic ranges and more than 40% of the species had
experienced severe population declines. Their data revealed that ‘beyond
global species extinctions Earth is experiencing a huge episode of
population declines and extirpations, which will have negative cascading
consequences on ecosystem functioning and services vital to sustaining
civilization. We describe this as a “biological annihilation” to
highlight the current magnitude of Earth’s ongoing sixth major
extinction event.’
By Robert J. Burrowes: Human
beings are now waging war against life itself as we continue to destroy
not just individual lives, local populations and entire species in vast
numbers but also destroy the ecological systems that make life on Earth
possible. By doing this we are
now accelerating the sixth mass extinction event in Earth’s history and
virtually eliminating any prospect of human survival.
