The global loss of avian functional and phylogenetic diversity from anthropogenic extinctions
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Humans have been driving a global erosion of species richness for millennia, but the consequences of past extinctions for other dimensions of biodiversity—functional and phylogenetic diversity—are poorly understood. In this work, we show that, since the Late Pleistocene, the extinction of 610 bird species has caused a disproportionate loss of the global avian functional space along with ~3 billion years of unique evolutionary history. For island endemics, proportional losses have been even greater. Projected future extinctions of more than 1000 species over the next two centuries will incur further substantial reductions in functional and phylogenetic diversity. These results highlight the severe consequences of the ongoing biodiversity crisis and the urgent need to identify the ecological functions being lost through extinction.
Date Issued
2024-10-04
Date Acceptance
2024-08-08
Citation
Science, 2024, 386 (6717), pp.55-60
ISSN
0036-8075
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Start Page
55
End Page
60
Journal / Book Title
Science
Volume
386
Issue
6717
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2024 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39361743
Subjects
Animals
Humans
Anthropogenic Effects
Biodiversity
Biological Evolution
Birds
Extinction, Biological
Islands
Phylogeny
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
United States
Date Publish Online
2024-10-03