By 2100, nearly 10% of birds were extinct

According to a study conducted at Stanford University (California) and published in Proccedings of National Academy of Sciences, by 2100, nearly 10% of the world's birds may disappear. Of these, about 179 species are now at high risk of disappearing immediately.

Photo: Samasati The authors gathered data regarding 9,916 known birds and produced three scenarios, to extrapolate observable trends from 1994 on extinction.

The first scenario is based on the assumption that according to the species currently assessed are threatened to disappear according to the current observation rate. In this scenario, 10% of species will gradually disappear.

The second scenario is based on the optimistic assumption that no species is listed as threatened; that means only 15 species of birds disappear from now until 2100 (so less than 6% of species are extinct).

Finally, the third scenario, which is the most pessimistic scenario, is based on the assumption that the number of threatened species increases at a rate of 15 species / 10 years, ie nearly 1/6 of the species will become extinct from now on. By the end of this century (about 16% of the existing species).

With such a prospect, under these scenarios, 7% -25% of birds will be threatened to disappear or live in prison (arrested).

Among other determinants of extinction risk, the authors stated: the destruction of nesting and nesting sites and hunting of rare birds for sale to pet stores, importation. Exotic carnivorous species (cats, rats, etc.) in some areas and climate change can change the habits of some species.

Later, the American team analyzed the impact of bird biodiversity decline on the environment, human health and the economy.

The research team synthesized the research done on the different ecological roles of birds (pollination, vulture work (scavengers), insect eradication, etc.). For researchers, the consequences of future extinctions are as tragic as the consequences related to the priority of endemic species - which are difficult to replace - vulnerable to side effects. belong to their particular ecosystem.