THIS MESSAGE (MATERIAL) IS CREATED AND (OR) DISTRIBUTED BY A FOREIGN MASS MEDIA PERFORMING THE FUNCTIONS OF A FOREIGN AGENT AND (OR) A RUSSIAN LEGAL ENTITY PERFORMING THE FUNCTIONS OF A FOREIGN AGENT.
Biologists from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the National Museum of Natural History in Paris have presented evidence of the beginning of a new mass extinction on the planet. The researchers, who presented their findings in the journal Biological Reviews (translated by Lenta.ru), argue that the extinction was caused by human activity.
Scientists point out that so far the sixth mass extinction affects only certain groups of organisms that are in distress. This explains why the rate of extinction of animals listed in the IUCN Red List (“Red Book”) does not differ from the background.
As noted, the list of rare and endangered species of living organisms includes only a small part of invertebrates assessed by conservation status. Estimates of the true rate of extinction of organisms in this group are much higher than the background value.
Researchers believe that since about the 16th century, molluscs have lost 7.5-13% of their two million species. This is 150-260 thousand species, which is several orders of magnitude more than the number listed in the Red Book (882 species). However, there is no evidence that the marine biota has reached the same crisis as the non-marine one. Island species suffered much more than continental ones.
Scientists have doubted that a new extinction is the natural order of things. According to them, today man is the only significant force capable of exerting a significant impact on the Earth’s biosphere.
Source: Rosbalt
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
