The variety of animal species found in locations across the globe could be cut by more than quarter by the end of the century, a new study finds.
abc.net.au/news/computer-modelling-shows-cascading-animal-coextinctions/101777762Computer modelling has shown the variety of vertebrate animal species found in locations across the globe could be cut by 27 per cent by the end of the century.Extinctions caused by other extinctions were also considered in the study
The simulation conducted on one of Europe's most powerful supercomputers also found that one extinction caused a cascade of extinctions that have been coined "co-extinctions". The study by European Commission scientist Giovanni Strona and Flinders University professor Corey Bradshaw was published on Saturday in the journal Science Advances.
Professor Bradshaw said it was clear from the research that carbon emission reduction policies needed to focus on the planet as a whole."It also works the other way round: if we save more species, we're going to have more capability in reducing climate change over the next century or so."Professor Bradshaw said neglecting the effect of co-extinctions had caused people to be overly optimistic about how many species would be lost.