The Global Extinction Crisis

The latest issue of Science features a study from Thomas et al. entitled “Comparative Losses of British Butterflies, Birds, and Plants and the Global Extinction Crisis”. The results of their research suggest that rates of insect decline parallel or exceed rates of decline in plants and vertebrates. This finding is contrary to popular thought on the subject, which asserted that rates of decline would be higher in groups traditionally known as “higher organisms” (plants and vertebrates).

Links:

• Comparative Losses of British Butterflies, Birds, and Plants and the Global Extinction Crisis - full article from Science magazine (subscription access)


• Comparative Losses of British Butterflies, Birds, and Plants and the Global Extinction Crisis - abstract of the article


• Earth faces sixth mass extinction from New Scientist


• UK wildlife 'heading into crisis' from the BBC

Posted by Daniel Mosquin at 2:45 PM on March 19, 2004

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