The Earth has about 8.7 million different species

Scientists at Dalhousie University, Canada and the University of Hawaii have published a study, which shows that about 8.7 million different species exist on Earth , although only a fraction of these are discovered and classified.

The study said that since the classification system introduced by Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in the mid-1700s and is still in use, only about 1.25 million species have been discovered and so far. classify.

About 86% of species on the ground and 91% of species in the ocean have yet to be discovered.

Of the 8.7 million species, there are about 36,400 species of protozoa, or single-celled organisms such as amoeba, and 27,500 chromista species, such as brown algae (brown algae) .

It is estimated that 7.77 million animal species, of which 953,434 species have been described and classified; 298,000 species of plants, of which 215,644 species have been described and classified.

The study also found that there are about 611,000 fungal species, of which 43,271 have been known to science.

University of Hawaii researcher Camilo Mora, one of the authors of the study, said that the question of how many species exist on Earth is always attractive and inspiring for scientists, and is becoming increasingly important. important when human activity and effects are accelerating the extinction rate of many species.

Many species can disappear even before people know about the existence, unique adaptability, function in the ecosystem, as well as their potential to contribute to human life.

The co-author Boris Worm of Dalhousie University notes that despite the commitment to protect species from extinction, humanity has so far not known how many species are actually in such a state.

The "Red List" raised by the International Nature Conservation Organization has 59,508 species tracked, of which 19,625 species are classified as threatened.