Earth’s Sixth Great Extinction

Earth’s Sixth Great Extinction

Dear colleagues,

One of the most hotly debated issues in contemporary ecology is whether humanity will cause a sixth mass-extinction—rivaling the great extinctions in the geological past that claimed much if not most of Earth’s biodiversity.

In this brief essay, scientific icon Paul Ehrlich and I argue emphatically that the evidence is overwhelming: The world’s sixth mass extinction is upon us:

Radical overhaul needed to halt Earth’s sixth great extinction event
https://theconversation.com/radical-overhaul-needed-to-halt-earths-sixth-great-extinction-event-68221

Cumulative vertebrate species extinctions since 1500 compared to the ‘background’ rate of species losses. G. Ceballos et al. (2015) Scientific Advances.

Could you please forward this email to anyone who might be interested.

Many thanks,

Bill

William F. Laurance, PhD, FAA, FAAAS, FRSQ
Distinguished Research Professor & Australian Laureate
Prince Bernhard Chair in International Nature Conservation
Director of the Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS)

in EcoDebate, 10/11/2016