Biologists announce sixth mass extinction

Scientists have long been talking about a possible sixth mass extinction - a period when, in a short geological time, a significantly larger number of species of organisms die out compared to the background value. New researchThe Sixth Mass Extinction: fact, fiction or speculation? from biologists from the USA and France confirms this sad trend and gives arguments why the position of people who deny it is wrong.

As a rule, people try to prove the absence of a crisis with the statistics of the Red Book. However, scientists remind that the species diversity in the Red Book is not uniform. It mainly takes into account birds and mammals, and the proportion of invertebrates is minimal.

If we focus on molluscs, the second largest type of animal species, then since 1500, according to various sources, 150-260 thousand species have become extinct, or 7.5-13% of all known to man (≈2 million). For comparison, species from the Red Book have a much lower rate of extinction: 882 species, or 0.04% of the total number of protected species.

The situation is not identical among different types of organisms. Now there is no evidence that the mass extinction has already affected marine living organisms. But plants are influenced in many ways by the same factors that threaten the existence of animals - but, as in the case of invertebrates, few people are in a hurry to save them.

Yes, the efforts of biologists lead to results, and many species can be saved. But it is mainly about animals and birds. Otherwise, the forecasts are disappointing: the diversity of life on Earth continues to decline, and many species will disappear even before we know about their existence.