2022 too short, too far: A sixth mass extinction is unfolding

Subject :Environment

Mass extinction-

Mass extinction refers to a substantial increase in the degree of extinction or when the Earth loses more than three-quarters of its species in a geologically short period of time.
So far, during the entire history of the Earth, there have been five mass extinctions.
Earth was once home to two million known species. According to the study, however, since 1500, as many as 7.5%-13% of these species may have been lost. That numbers anywhere from 150,000 to 260,000 different species.

What is the sixth mass extinction?

The sixth, which is ongoing, is referred to as the Anthropocene extinction.
Researchers have described it as the “most serious environmental problem” since the loss of species will be permanent.

Vulnerable regions:

Tropical regions have seen the highest number of declining species. In South and Southeast Asia, large-bodied species of mammals have lost more than four-fifths of their historical ranges.
While fewer species are disappearing in temperate zones, the percentage is just as high or higher. As many as half of the number of animals that once shared our planet are no longer here, a loss described as “a massive erosion of the greatest biological diversity in the history of Earth”.

What happens when species go extinct?

Impact can be tangible such as in the form of a loss in crop pollination and water purification.
If a species has a specific function in an ecosystem, the loss can lead to consequences for other species by impacting the food chain.
Effects of extinction will worsen in the coming decades as the resulting genetic and cultural variability will change entire ecosystems.
When the number of individuals in a population or species drops too low, its contributions to ecosystem functions and services become unimportant, its genetic variability and resilience are reduced, and its contribution to human welfare may be lost.