Extinction Rates Have Slowed Across Many Plant and Animal Groups
According to a new study led by scientists at the University of Arizona, extinction rates in plants, arthropods, and land vertebrates appear to have peaked around 100 years ago and have declined since then.
The study reveals that the patterns and causes of past extinctions differ from current and future threats. Researchers found that past extinctions were mostly caused by invasive species on islands, rather than by today’s most significant threat to wildlife — the destruction of natural habitats.
‘We show that extinction rates are not getting faster towards the present, as many people claim, but instead peaked many decades ago,’ said Wiens.
This new research provides a more positive perspective on the current state of extinction rates, contradicting the idea that extinction rates are rapidly accelerating.
Author's summary: New study reveals slower extinction rates.