Mankind is playing 'ecological roulette': Decline in biodiversity could have devastating effects on human societies

  • Experts warn world's plant and wildlife is facing an 'ecological recession'
  • Grasslands, savannas and shrublands are the most affected areas 
  • For 58.1 per cent of the world's land surface biodiversity loss is substantial enough to question the ability of ecosystems to support human societies

By Shivali Best For Mailonline

Published: 18:06 GMT, 14 July 2016 | Updated: 18:15 GMT, 14 July 2016

It seems that almost daily we hear about the discovery of a new species, whether it's a silver snake in the Caribbean, or a new tree in the Amazon. 

Despite these regular discoveries, levels of global biodiversity are on the decline, which scientists say could have a devastating global impact.

New research suggests this loss in the variety of species around the world could damage the way ecosystems function and even harm the sustainability of human societies.

In particular, the researchers have highlighted that grasslands, savannas and shrublands are more affected by the biodiversity lost. Pictured is the savannah in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

In particular, the researchers have highlighted that grasslands, savannas and shrublands are more affected by the biodiversity lost. Pictured is the savannah in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

A team from UCL have found that levels of biodiversity loss are so high that if left unchecked, they could undermine efforts towards long-term sustainable development. 

In particular, the researchers have highlighted that grasslands, savannas and shrublands are more affected by the biodiversity lost. 

They say the ability of biodiversity in these areas to support key ecosystem functions such as growth of living organisms and nutrient cycling has become increasingly uncertain. 

STUDYING BIODIVERSITY LOSS 

The team used data from hundreds of scientists across the globe to analyse 2.38 million records for 39,123 species at 18,659 sites.

The results were then used to estimate how biodiversity has changed since before humans modified the habitat.

The estimates suggest that biodiversity hotspots – those that have seen habitat loss in the past but have a lot of species only found in that area – are threatened, showing high levels of biodiversity decline.

However, other high biodiversity areas, such as the Amazon, have higher levels of biodiversity and more scope for proactive conservation.

Dr Tim Newbold, who led the study, said: 'We've found that across most of the world, biodiversity loss is no longer within the safe limit suggested by ecologists.

'We know biodiversity loss affects ecosystem function but how it does this is not entirely clear. 

'What we do know is that in many parts of the world, we are approaching a situation where human intervention might be needed to sustain ecosystem function.'  

The team used data from hundreds of scientists across the globe to analyse 2.38 million records for 39,123 species at 18,659 sites.

The results were then used to estimate how biodiversity has changed since before humans modified the habitat.

The estimates suggest that biodiversity hotspots – those that have seen habitat loss in the past but have a lot of species only found in that area – are threatened, showing high levels of biodiversity decline.

However, other high biodiversity areas, such as the Amazon, have higher levels of biodiversity and more scope for proactive conservation.

Dr Newbold said: 'The greatest changes have happened in those places where most people live, which might affect physical and psychological well-being. 

'To address this, we would have to preserve the remaining areas of natural vegetation and restore human-used lands.'

The Silver Boa was first spotted by a team on a remote island in the Bahamas, who later found the remarkably coloured creature was completely unknown to science
Analysis suggests there may be so many species of tree in the Amazon that it will take humanity 300 years to discover them all

It seems that almost daily we hear about the discovery of a new species, whether it's a silver snake in the Caribbean, or a tree in the Amazon

The researchers suggest that for 58.1 per cent of the world's land surface - which is home to 71.4 per cent of the global population - biodiversity loss is substantial enough to question the ability of ecosystems to support human societies.  

Professor Andy Purvis, from the Natural History Museum, who also worked on the study, said: 'Decision-makers worry a lot about economic recessions, but an ecological recession could have even worse consequences – and the biodiversity damage we've had means we're at risk of that happening. 

'Until and unless we can bring biodiversity back up, we're playing ecological roulette.'

The team hope the results will be used to inform conservation policy, both nationally and internationally.

16,000 TREE SPECIES IN THE AMAZON 

In 2013, scientists from the Field Museum in Chicago, estimated that the number of species was around 16,000, although no-one had taken the time to specifically count them. 

However, the same scientists have now looked at museum collections from around the world to confirm just how many tree species have been recorded in the Amazon so far.

This has allowed them to estimate how many still remain to be discovered and how long that may take.

Nigel Pitman, The Field Museum's Mellon Senior Conservation Ecologist, said: 'An international team of botanists tallied up the number of species in more than half a million museum specimens collected in the Amazon between 1707 and 2015, and we came away with a list of 11,676 Amazonian tree species. 

'We interpret this to mean that our 2013 estimate of 16,000 species is good, and that about 4,000 of the rarest Amazonian trees remain to be discovered and described.

'Our analysis suggests that we won't be done discovering new tree species there for three more centuries.'