According to a new study, the sixth mass extinction of organisms has already begun Technology

A study published in Biological Criticism estimates that between 7.5 and 13% of the two million known species on Earth may have been lost since the 1500s. It ranges from 150,000 to 260,000.

One New studio Developed by biologists from the University of Hawaii in Manoa and the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, it was determined that the sixth mass extinction of the species was already underway. Unlike the previous five, this method will play a key role for man.

Although extreme natural phenomena have caused massive destruction of biodiversity in the past, human activities today are to blame.

As pointed out DWDespite the evidence that this horrific phenomenon is unfolding around us, there are those who do not believe in scientific evidence. For this reason, the authors of the new study have devoted a portion of it to highlighting the problems of the current denial.

“The dramatic increase in species extinction rates and the decline in the number of large numbers of animals and plants are well documented, but some deny that these events are equivalent to mass extinction,” said biologist Robert Cowie in a statement. .

Invertebrates: Not considered an important part of biodiversity

Scientists note that many of the conservation efforts of conservationists, including the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, are clearly biased against vertebrates in discussions about biodiversity loss. , And not the great decline of invertebrates.

“The red list is very biased,” Cowie and colleagues wrote in their article. “This denial is based on the crooked view of the crisis focusing on mammals and birds and neglecting invertebrates, which make up the bulk of biodiversity,” he added.

According to IUCN estimates, approximately 1.5% of the estimated mammal and bird species have become extinct since the 1500s.

However, new research based on estimates of land snails and snails – previous studies examining the decline of invertebrates – suggests that by 1500 the Earth may have already lost 7.5 to 13% of both. Of the millions of species known on the planet, this is a staggering number between 150,000 and 260,000 species.

“It is important, including the backbone, to ensure that we actually see the beginning of the sixth mass extinction in the history of the earth,” Cowie said.

Where does the denial of mass extinction of species come from?

“This denial is based on a crooked view of the crisis that focuses on mammals and birds and ignores invertebrates, which make up the bulk of biodiversity,” Cowie said.

“Almost all birds and mammals, but only a small fraction of invertebrates are rated for safety criteria (…) It is often implicitly and sometimes explicitly assumed that estimates of bird and mammal extinction rates reflect the extinction rates of all vertebrates. And the assumption was accepted among the security systems.

As for a possible solution for the future, researchers do not know the answer. But they point out that denying the crisis or not implementing it will undoubtedly contribute to the future of the planet.

Humans, capable of manipulating the biosphere on a large scale

Scientists have condemned not only those who deny that the sixth extinction has begun, but also those who accept it as a new and natural evolutionary path, because humans are just another race that plays their natural role in the history of the earth.

Some argue that biodiversity should be manipulated only for the benefit of mankind.

“Humans are the only organisms capable of manipulating the biosphere on a large scale,” Cowie insisted. “We are not just another race that develops in the face of external influences. Rather, we are the only race that emotionally chooses our future and the biodiversity of the planet,” he added.

Similarly, Cowie assured that despite rhetoric about the severity of the crisis and the solutions proposed and proposed by politicians to address it, they have not acted adequately. “It is clear that there is no political will,” Cowie said. “Denying the crisis, accepting it without reacting or encouraging it is tantamount to abolishing the common responsibility of mankind and paving the way for the earth to continue its tragic path towards the sixth mass destruction.”