What are the main consequences of species extinction occurring at unprecedented speed for a few decades?
Loss of many of the biological “genetic encyclopedias” millions of years in the making is one consequence. Loss or erosion of ecosystems due to destabilization caused by erasure of links in food webs is another. Also, loss of opportunities in medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture; and not least, loss of a major part of the greatest national and global natural heritage, permanently. Even just one of the consequences just listed — and all will occur together — is a tragedy. How are climate change and the threat to biodiversity linked? The causes of species extinction are, in order of magnitude of impact on biodiversity, summarized in the acronym HIPPO: Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Pollution, human over-Population, Overharvesting by hunting and fishing. Climate change is definitely a very big H. Is it already too late to avert disaster? It is not too late to stem and then halt the extinction of species and the ecosystems they compose. We are certainly too late to save some