(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists have issued an urgent “warning to humanity” that says that billions of people on the planet will suffer due to the loss of one-third of the trees. The document was published a few months before the Biodiversity Conference in Kunming (China) in 2022.
Climatologists have warned that the extinction of tree species will lead to the loss of many other plants and animals, as well as significantly change the world‘s ecosystems.
They noted that trees are of exceptional ecological importance, playing an important functional role in the world’s ecosystems, as well as supporting many other plants, animals and fungi.
The article, published in the journal Plants People Planet, says it aims to raise awareness of the tree extinction crisis, which is a major environmental issue that needs special attention.
“Data suggests that a third of the world’s tree species are now threatened with extinction, representing a major environmental crisis.
We then study the potential consequences of tree extinction in terms of the functioning of the biosphere and the impact on human well-being,” the scientists said in the report.
Trees not only provide shelter for humans and animals, but are also responsible for cycling carbon, water and nutrients in the world’s ecosystems. The extinction of most plant species will negatively affect the ecological balance of the planet.
It is worth noting that more than 100 species of trees have already died out in the wild, and since billions of trees are destroyed every year, a third of the species are on the verge of extinction.
“We are showing the wide-ranging impact that tree extinction can have on other species, on ecosystems and on humanity.
A strong and urgent response is required, both to prevent further extinction of tree species and to restore the damaged ecosystems of which they are a part,” said lead author Malin Rivers.
Most of these endangered species are home to 75% of bird species, 68% of the world’s mammal species and over 10 million invertebrate species.
The paper also highlights that the disappearance of trees will undermine the livelihoods of the billions of people around the world who currently depend on trees and the benefits they bring.
Scientists have outlined a number of actions that need to be taken to save species from extinction, including:
- Recognize the importance of tree species
- Conservation and restoration of natural tree populations
- Elimination of direct threats to tree species
- Give priority to measures to conserve endangered tree species
- Strengthen the role of trees in sustainable development
- Strengthen the role of trees in environmental and climate policy
All the attention of scientists and the general public is now on the 2022 Kunming Biodiversity Conference, where world leaders are expected to discuss the decline in biodiversity, highlight the need to conserve tree species, and identify key priority actions as climate change worsens.
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