Scientists are increasingly seeing evidence of 'dark extinction' in museum and botanical garden collections. (via undarkmag)
Sometimes, though, it’s hard to identify species based on individual specimens, noted botanist, who directs conservation programs at the California Botanic Garden. And describing new species is not often a research priority. Studies that report new species aren’t often cited by other scientists, and they typically also don’t help towards pulling in new funding, both of which are key to academic success, Cheek said.
Even some species that are found while they are still alive are already on the brink. In fact, research suggests that it’s precisely the newly described species that tend to have the highest risk of going extinct. Many new species are only now beingbecause they’re rare, isolated, or both — factors that also make them easier to wipe out, said Fraga.
While extinction is likely for many of these cases, it’s often hard to prove. The IUCN requires targeted searches to declare an extinction — something that Costa is still planning on doing for the killifish, four years after its discovery. But these surveys cost money, and aren’t always possible. Meanwhile, some scientists have turned to computational techniques to estimate the scale of dark extinction, by extrapolating rates of species discovery and extinctions among known species. When Chisholm’s groupthis method to the estimated 195 species of birds in Singapore, they estimated that 9.6 undescribed species have vanished from the area in the past 200 years, in addition to the disappearance of 58 known species.
that the proportion of dark extinctions could account for up to just over a half of all extinctions, depending on the region and species group. Of course, “the main challenge in estimating dark extinction is that it is exactly that: an estimate. We can never be sure,” noted Quentin Cronk, a botanist of the University of British Columbia who has produced similar
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Scientists detect the breath between atomsUniversity of Washington researchers have detected the mechanical vibration between two layers of atoms (the atoms’ breaths).
Lire la suite »
Scientists claim they're the first to transmit space-based solar power to Earth | EngadgetA team of Caltech researchers claim to be the first to successfully transmit solar power from space to Earth..
Lire la suite »
Scientists ‘stunned’ by mysterious structures found in the Milky WayAn international team of astrophysicists has discovered hundreds of mysterious structures in the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
Lire la suite »
Scientists Discover That Coastal Ecosystems Are a Net Greenhouse Gas SinkCoastal ecosystems, ranging from mangroves to fjords, have the ability to absorb or release greenhouse gases. However, on a global scale, these ecosystems are a vital sink. International researchers, led by Australia's Southern Cross University, have revealed in a recent study that coastal ecosys
Lire la suite »
How Our Cells Kill Themselves – Scientists Decode the Exact Mechanism at the Atomic LevelIn our bodies, millions of cells meet their end on a daily basis. Contrary to popular belief, cells don't just explode when they die. Instead, a particular protein acts as a trigger for the rupture of the cell membrane. Scientists from the University of Basel have recently been able to elucidate the
Lire la suite »
Scientists Identify 240-Million-Year-Old Mystery Ancient Marine ReptileNew research reveals that sulfur minerals that make fossils in the Norwegian archipelago are especially well-suited to radiography. X-ray analysis has led to the categorization of a previously-unidentified marine reptile fossil discovered in Edgeøya, Svalbard. The research was recently published in
Lire la suite »