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Synergies among extinction drivers under global change
Barry W Brook1, Navjot S Sodhi, Corey J A Bradshaw
1Research Institute for Climate Change and Sustainability, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. barry.brook@adelaide.edu.au
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|June 28, 2008
Summary
Species extinction is often accelerated by interacting, self-reinforcing processes, making current extinction risk estimates more severe than previously thought. Conservation efforts must address these synergistic effects, not just single threats, to prevent biodiversity loss.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Biodiversity Science
Background:
- Species loss can be abrupt due to habitat destruction or overexploitation.
- Extinction often involves synergistic processes amplifying initial declines, disconnected from the original cause.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence on synergistic processes driving species extinction.
- To highlight the inadequacy of single-threat conservation strategies.
- To identify future research priorities in biodiversity conservation.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent observational studies.
- Analysis of experimental research findings.
- Synthesis of meta-analytic data.
Main Results:
- Interacting and self-reinforcing processes significantly increase extinction risk.
- Current estimates of extinction risk are likely underestimated.
- Conservation actions targeting single threats are often insufficient due to unmanaged synergistic effects.
Conclusions:
- Synergistic effects necessitate a re-evaluation of species extinction risks.
- Conservation strategies must integrate the management of interacting threats.
- Future research should prioritize understanding climate change interactions with other biodiversity threats.
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