The birds of the world are becoming less distinctive as the more unusual species are driven to extinction.
Vultures are among the most at risk, with the loss of their unique features and traits likely to harm the health of global ecosystems.
The days of the most distinctive bird species could be numbered as the most unusual forms bear the brunt of global extinctions.
A new study suggests that species with extreme traits, such as the largest and smallest birds, are among those most at risk of being lost. Groups such as vultures, which carry out vital services to support the health of ecosystems, are also vulnerable to extinction.
The loss of these traits may impact on the ability of ecosystems to recover from the unprecedented threats they face, such as climate change, habitat destruction and pollution.
Dr Emma Hughes, the paper's lead author who works alongside the Museum's bird group, says, 'As species go extinct, you expect the traits that they represent to also be lost. But we found that traits are being lost at a much greater rate than species loss alone could predict. This demonstrates that the impacts of the global extinction crisis go beyond the loss of species. Species extinctions are going to lead to a major loss of ecological strategies and functions, which will have important ramifications for humans as ecosystem services are lost. The loss of unique traits and evolutionary history could also risk the loss of benefits to humanity that are currently unknown.'
The findings of the study were published in the journal Current Biology.
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Posted On: 22/07/2022