Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species
Abstract Newly discovered species are often threatened with extinction but in many cases have received limited conservation effort. To guide future conservation, it is important to determine the extinction risk of newly described species. Here, we test how time since formal description of a species...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Conservation Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12876 |
| _version_ | 1818217229217431552 |
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| author | Jiajia Liu Ferry Slik Shilu Zheng David B. Lindenmayer |
| author_facet | Jiajia Liu Ferry Slik Shilu Zheng David B. Lindenmayer |
| author_sort | Jiajia Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Newly discovered species are often threatened with extinction but in many cases have received limited conservation effort. To guide future conservation, it is important to determine the extinction risk of newly described species. Here, we test how time since formal description of a species is linked to its threat status to obtain a better insight into the possible threat status of newly described species and as yet undescribed species. We compiled IUCN Red List data for 53,808 species from five vertebrate groups described since 1758. Extinction risk for more recently described species has increased significantly over time; the proportion of threatened species among newly described species has increased from 11.9% for species described between 1758 and 1767 to 30.0% for those described between 2011 and 2020. Based on projections from our analysis, this could further increase to 47.1% by 2050. The pattern is consistent across vertebrate taxonomic groups and biomes. Current species extinction rates estimated from data of all known species are therefore highly likely to be underestimated. Intensive fieldwork to boost discovery of new species and immediate conservation action for newly described species, especially in tropical areas, is urgently required. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:04:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6f7edec16f234fa58c439838447f3e9b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1755-263X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T07:04:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Conservation Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-6f7edec16f234fa58c439838447f3e9b2022-12-22T00:33:47ZengWileyConservation Letters1755-263X2022-05-01153n/an/a10.1111/conl.12876Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known speciesJiajia Liu0Ferry Slik1Shilu Zheng2David B. Lindenmayer3MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences Fudan University Shanghai ChinaEnvironmental and Life Sciences Department Faculty of Science Universiti Brunei Darussalam Bandar Seri Begawan Brunei DarussalamMOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences Fudan University Shanghai ChinaFenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University Canberra AustraliaAbstract Newly discovered species are often threatened with extinction but in many cases have received limited conservation effort. To guide future conservation, it is important to determine the extinction risk of newly described species. Here, we test how time since formal description of a species is linked to its threat status to obtain a better insight into the possible threat status of newly described species and as yet undescribed species. We compiled IUCN Red List data for 53,808 species from five vertebrate groups described since 1758. Extinction risk for more recently described species has increased significantly over time; the proportion of threatened species among newly described species has increased from 11.9% for species described between 1758 and 1767 to 30.0% for those described between 2011 and 2020. Based on projections from our analysis, this could further increase to 47.1% by 2050. The pattern is consistent across vertebrate taxonomic groups and biomes. Current species extinction rates estimated from data of all known species are therefore highly likely to be underestimated. Intensive fieldwork to boost discovery of new species and immediate conservation action for newly described species, especially in tropical areas, is urgently required.https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12876description dateextinction risknew speciesthreatened speciesundescribed species |
| spellingShingle | Jiajia Liu Ferry Slik Shilu Zheng David B. Lindenmayer Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species Conservation Letters description date extinction risk new species threatened species undescribed species |
| title | Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species |
| title_full | Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species |
| title_fullStr | Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species |
| title_short | Undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species |
| title_sort | undescribed species have higher extinction risk than known species |
| topic | description date extinction risk new species threatened species undescribed species |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12876 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jiajialiu undescribedspecieshavehigherextinctionriskthanknownspecies AT ferryslik undescribedspecieshavehigherextinctionriskthanknownspecies AT shiluzheng undescribedspecieshavehigherextinctionriskthanknownspecies AT davidblindenmayer undescribedspecieshavehigherextinctionriskthanknownspecies |