There Is Something Similar Among Many Species at Risk of Extinction

Plants and animals are in danger of extinction. The species are dying out faster than we can comprehend.

A new study by a group of people, including an Alexander Center for Applied Population Biology at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, has identified common traits among plants, birds, and mammals that are at risk of disappearing.

According to the Woodwell Climate Research Center, certain combinations of life history traits and demographic rates can make a population more prone to extinction than others.

Until recently, few studies have tested predictions of what makes one species more vulnerable to the next across different groups using real-world data on a global scale.

Patterns and timing of survival, growth and reproduction all affect whether populations of plants and animals can adapt to human-made environmental change.

The data on growth rates, lifespans and reproduction for 159 species of plants, trees, mammals, and birds was compiled by the team and cross checked against the current status of the world's most threatened species on the Red List.

Despite our relatively small sample of species, we found that species with certain demographic patterns are more at risk of extinction than others.

The longer it takes mammals to reproduce, the harder it is for them to adapt to rapid environmental change, which is why they are most at risk of extinction.

Birds that reproduce often and grow fast are more vulnerable to extinction than birds that produce lots of offspring.

Other studies have found that birds with smaller clutch sizes face greater extinction risks, so the data may reflect the many ways that reproduction can be measured.

The type of plants that die back before winter and bloom in the spring and summer are more likely to die if they mature early and have high survival rates. There were no clear patterns for the trees.

After all, there is no discrimination between tree species, after all, deforestation for growing crops and urbanization do not discriminate among tree species.

A recent study found that species that sit atop the food chain, have sparse populations, or small geographic ranges are most vulnerable to extinction.

The scope of the Red List makes it hard for these types of studies to be done.

Amphibians are among the most vulnerable, with a third of all known amphibian species facing extinction and thousands of species not yet assessed by the IUCN or lacking data to do so.

We can only describe insects and other invertebrates that pollinate plants, distribute seeds and cycle nutrients through the environment.

We don't know what species we are losing because most of these extinctions are un recorded.

We are most likely underestimating the true extent of the extinction risk because we try as scientists. The current study analyzed nearly 350 species of plants.

When the threat is imminent and the stakes are high, we know what needs to be done to curb the loss of flora and fauna.

A better understanding of what plants and animals are most at risk of disappearing helps with the effort to save them. The findings could be used to determine which species are more vulnerable to extinction.

The research was published in a journal.