Scienceblogtwo

The long-term implications of declining land mammals on food webs are now best understood according to a new study that was published in the journal Science. It's a hideous sight. "We estimate that more than 50% of mammal food web links have perished in that time, but only approximately 6% of terrestrial mammals have gone extinct," said ecologist Evan Fricke, the study's primary author. "And the complexity of the mammal food web depends on the mammals that are most likely to decline, both historically and currently." All the relationships between predators and their prey in a specific area are known as a food web. Complex food webs are necessary for population control in a way that permits more species to coexist, hence enhancing ecosystem diversity and stability. However, animal extinctions might lessen this complexity, which would make an ecosystem less resilient. Illustration showing every mammal species that, if not for range contractions and extinctions...

Among the 15 challenges that experts say we need to solve right now are deep sea lithium mining, overfishing of deeper-water species, and the unanticipated ocean effects of land-based wildfires. Over the next ten years, a group of worldwide specialists has identified 15 concerns that they predict will have a substantial influence on marine and coastal biodiversity. They used a method known as "horizon scanning," which aims to find problems that are not yet receiving much attention but are expected to become crucial within the next ten years. Their objective is to increase awareness of these challenges and promote immediate investment in a thorough analysis of them. They also seek to reform policies before the problems have a significant negative impact on biodiversity. The list of problems also includes a "empty" zone near the equator as animals migrate away from this warming part of the ocean, the effects of new biodegradable materials on the marine environment, an...