Species coextinctions and the biodiversity crisis
Fri, 2007-02-02 15:01 — Vince Smith
| Title | Species coextinctions and the biodiversity crisis |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2004 |
| Authors | Koh, LP, Dunn RR, Sodhi NS, Colwell RK, Proctor HC, Smith VS |
| Journal | Science |
| Volume | 305 |
| Pages | 1632-1634 |
| Journal Date | Sep 10 |
| Accession Number | 44701 |
| Keywords | Animals; Biodiversity ; bird ; Butterflies ; ecology ; Environment ; Ficus/growth & development ; Lice/growth & development ; Life Cycle Stages ; Mathematics ; Mites/growth & development ; Models, Biological ; Models, Statistical ; parasite ; Plant Extrac |
| Abstract | To assess the coextinction of species (the loss of a species upon the loss of another), we present a probabilistic model, scaled with empirical data. The model examines the relationship between coextinction levels (proportion of species extinct) of affiliates and their hosts across a wide range of coevolved interspecific systems: pollinating Ficus wasps and Ficus, parasites and their hosts, butterflies and their larval host plants, and ant butterflies and their host ants. Applying a nomographic method based on mean host specificity (number of host species per affiliate species), we estimate that 6300 affiliate species are "coendangered" with host species currently listed as endangered. Current extinction estimates need to be recalibrated by taking species coextinctions into account. |
