Humanity is on the verge of extinction: the sixth mass extinction of species on Earth has begun
Scientists drew attention to the fact that today species are disappearing 100 times faster than before The Earth will be able to recover from this catastrophe only in millions of years Humanity will disappear at the early stages of this process Previous mass extinctions were catastrophic, but they were natural
Scientists have proved that the era of mass extinction of species has come on Earth, and the existence of humanity is called into question.
A team of specialists from the United States said that, according to their research, there is every reason to talk about the beginning of the sixth wave of mass extinction of species on Earth.
According to the most conservative estimates, today species are disappearing at a rate 100 times higher than usual.
The results of the research are published in the latest issue of the journal “Science Advances”.
This figure shows a powerful jump in the extinction of species in the last 100 years.
According to experts, this process seriously threatens the existence of human civilization.
They showed that a number of natural “functions” have already been severely disrupted, such as pollination of plants by insects and purification of fresh water in wetlands.
While maintaining the current rate of species loss, we will gradually lose other "functions" of the natural environment.
320 extinctions in 500 years
Since 1500, more than 320 species of terrestrial vertebrates have disappeared.
The populations of preserved species have decreased by an average of 25%.
With regard to invertebrates, the situation is even more critical.
According to various estimates, from 16 to 33 percent of vertebrates are now threatened with extinction.
The fastest rates of population decline are demonstrated by large animals megafauna (elephants, rhinos, polar bears and other species).
This is one of the main signals about the beginning of the mass extinction of species on Earth.
According to Paul Ehrlich, a biologist from Stanford University, the head of these studies, a critical situation will occur in three human generations.
“We are sawing the branch on which we are sitting, " he said.
An analysis of the data showed that a “global spasm due to the loss of biodiversity” will soon come — and the window for preventing a terrible situation is rapidly narrowing.
Professor Ehrlich added: "Our research has shown that there is no serious reason to doubt that the sixth wave of mass extinction of species is now coming."
“If we do not take adequate measures, the situation will return to normal only after millions of years, and our species will most likely disappear at the very beginning, " added one of the team members — Gerard Ceballos from the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
According to the authors of the work, 75% of the species of living organisms will disappear during the lifetime of two or three human generations.
At the same time, they emphasize that they have presented the most optimistic forecast.
Probably, the development of the environmental crisis will be even more severe.
Now large animals are rapidly dying out — the so — called megafauna: elephants, rhinos, polar bears and others this is how all the mass extinctions of species on Earth began.
Today, more than 40% of amphibians and more than a quarter of mammals are at risk of extinction.
These figures are given by the International Union for Conservation of Nature — the most authoritative compiler of lists of rare and endangered species.
How man destroys the Earth
The development of civilization is accompanied by an increase in the number of people, an increase in per capita consumption and an increase in inequality.
According to scientists, the key areas of the negative impact of humanity on nature are:
Destruction of natural ecosystems for the needs of agriculture, logging and construction.
Introduction of invasive species.
Carbon dioxide emissions that change the climate and acidify the ocean.
Toxic pollutants that poison living organisms.
Abandoned Earth: Scientists have good reasons to believe that the sixth wave of species extinction has begun, which will cover a person with its head.
The prospects are gloomy, but there is still a way out of the situation, according to Professor Ehrlich and his colleagues.
To prevent the mass extinction of species, it is necessary to act quickly and actively.
It is necessary to reduce the anthropogenic load on ecosystems, preserve species that are on the verge of extinction, and return their habitat to plants and animals.
Humanity should moderate its economic appetites and pay attention to global climate change.
Ceballos added that he is optimistic.
He believes in the minds of people who can unite to solve serious problems.
Scientists hope that their conclusions will reach the highest level, and the work on nature protection will be intensified.
Five previous waves of mass extinction of species
The evolution of life on earth was accompanied by five serious crises, which are called mass extinctions.
Most researchers associate them with the fall of huge asteroids to the Earth.
Mass Ordovian extinction.
It happened 440 million years ago and was probably the most severe.
Life had not yet come to land, and about 85% of the species had disappeared.
Mass Devonian extinction.
It happened 375-359 million years ago.
Environmental conditions have changed dramatically, which is why most fish species have died out and the formation of coral reefs has stopped for 100 million years.
Mass Permian extinction.
It had a strong impact on the ecology of terrestrial ecosystems.
It happened approximately 252 million years ago.
About 97% of the species that we find today in the form of fossils have disappeared.
Mass Triassic extinction event.
Even in the early Triassic, dinosaurs appeared.
But large amphibians and reptiles, similar to modern mammals, dominated.
The mass extinction that occurred about 201 million years ago greatly changed the alignment of forces.
Mass Cretaceous extinction.
An asteroid hit the Earth about 66 million years ago and put an end to the reign of the dinosaurs.
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Section: Biology; topic: Earth, Civilization, Ecology 20/06/2015 author Alexander Nikitin.
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