The global loss of avian functional and phylogenetic diversity from anthropogenic extinctions
Authors/Creators
- 1. University of Birmingham
- 2. Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications
- 3. Carnegie Museum of Natural History
- 4. Bangor University
- 5. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
- 6. Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive
- 7. Imperial College London
- 8. Natural History Museum
- 9. Paul Sabatier University
Description
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 known. Here, 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.
Notes
Funding provided by: la Caixa Foundation *
Crossref Funder Registry ID:
Award Number: LCF/BQ/PI23/11970019
Funding provided by: Natural Environment Research Council
ROR ID: https://ror.org/02b5d8509
Award Number: NE/I028068/1
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Additional details
Related works
- Is source of
- 10.5061/dryad.12jm63z44 (DOI)