(ORDO NEWS) — Scientists are almost certain that another global extinction has come. Humanity could not influence this process in any way, except to accelerate it. A new study paints a bleak picture. This is reported by Science Alert.
The tragic news does not end there. Experts say there was some kind of plan that could have helped stop the extinction. But even with this, people could not cope. Back in 2022, namely in December, the “pact on peace with nature” was signed. The initiators were the participants of the UN conference. And if everything stated in it were implemented, humanity would have a chance to avoid global extinction.
However, a new study shows that the plan has completely failed. It is not possible to save endangered species, moreover, some of the animals and plants began to die out in even larger quantities. This is evidenced by a time lag of almost 50 years between environmental changes and animal and bird populations.
Moreover, when signing the “pact of peace with nature” this delay was not taken into account. It is not known due to whose negligence this happened, but the plan without taking into account such data can be considered irrelevant.
Richard Cornford, a zoologist from the Museum of Natural History, said that in his and his colleagues’ opinion, what people are doing today in attempts to protect nature will bear its first fruits no earlier than in 10 years. And so far, scientists have no choice but to record new negative consequences until 2050.
Research shows that the larger the species, the longer its ecological lag. Therefore, it will take much more time for such representatives of the fauna. It is known that human activity has changed approximately 70% of the entire planet. The new realities may not be compatible with the conditions in which birds, fish, animals and humans will eventually be able to live.
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Mass extinction refers to a significant and widespread loss of biodiversity on Earth, where a large number of species disappear within a relatively short period of time. It represents a sharp increase in the rate of extinction compared to the normal background extinction rate.
Throughout Earth’s history, there have been several mass extinction events, the most well-known being the one that wiped out the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago. These events are characterized by the loss of a substantial portion of the planet’s flora and fauna, including both plants and animals.
Mass extinctions can occur due to various causes, which may act alone or in combination. Some of the factors that have contributed to past mass extinctions include:
- Impact events: Large asteroid or comet impacts can cause widespread devastation, resulting in catastrophic changes to the environment and climate.
- Volcanic activity: Massive volcanic eruptions can release large amounts of gases and ash into the atmosphere, leading to global cooling, acid rain, and other adverse effects on ecosystems.
- Climate change: Rapid and dramatic shifts in climate, such as global warming or cooling, can disrupt habitats, alter ecological relationships, and cause widespread extinctions.
- Changes in ocean chemistry: Events such as oceanic anoxic events or acidification, caused by factors like excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or volcanic activity, can harm marine life and trigger extinctions.
- Loss of habitat: Large-scale destruction or fragmentation of habitats due to factors like deforestation, land development, or natural disasters can lead to the loss of species.
Mass extinctions have long-lasting effects on the Earth’s ecosystems and can reshape the course of evolutionary history. It takes millions of years for biodiversity to recover after such events.
Currently, scientists are concerned about the ongoing sixth mass extinction event, often referred to as the Anthropocene extinction or Holocene extinction. This event is driven primarily by human activities, including habitat destruction, overexploitation of resources, pollution, and climate change. The accelerated rate of species loss during this period is posing a significant threat to global biodiversity and ecological balance.
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