Island Extinction Patterns Revealed In Continental Ecosystems - Reuters

[hatrack]

EDIT

"According to the World Conservation Union, a total of 784 species have become extinct since AD 1500, when accurate historical and scientific records began. While the vast majority of extinctions since that time have occurred on islands, over the past 20 years continental extinctions have become as common.

Scientists say that island-style extinctions are creeping onshore because continental habitats are being diced up by human activities-- a process that is creating what biologists term "virtual islands." Fences, asphalt, farms and cities -- not water -- are the boundaries which confine and isolate these man-made islands.

"Island biogeography is no longer an offshore enterprise. It has come to the mainlands. It's everywhere," says natural history writer David Quammen in his book "Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction."

"The problem of habitat fragmentation, and of the animal and plant populations left marooned within the various fragments that are untenable for the long term, has begun showing up all over the surface of the planet," he writes."

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/28749/story.htm

[Nothing Without Hope]

1. Interesting. Makes sense and supports the idea

that habitats have to be large enough or extinction will occur. Used to be, they thought tiny isolated remnants of preserved habitat were all that were needed. The devasted forests of South American showed that wasn't true, but more people need to be convinced.

[blindpig]

2. islands are where species go to die

and we are doing our best to make as many "virtual" islands as possible.

If there is any one book one could read about the crisis of biodiversity, "Song of the Dodo" is it. The small victories achieved by a few dedicated workers against the backdrop of accelerating DOOM makes it all-the-more bittersweet.

You don't have to go far to see it; from the foreseeable extinction of the Florida Panther to the woodlot down he road which no longer supports certain warblers because the lot is too small to provide enough contiguous canopy even though there are plenty of other small woodlots nearby.

Happy New Year???????????????????????