Balance of nature: importance of ecosystems (Introduction)

by David Turell , Friday, April 17, 2020, 21:10 (1680 days ago) @ David Turell

A new study showing the importance of balance with loss of megafauna:

https://phys.org/news/2020-04-extinction-threatened-marine-megafauna-huge.html

"Defined as the largest animals in the oceans, with a body mass that exceeds 45kg, examples include sharks, whales, seals and sea turtles.

"These species serve key roles in ecosystems, including the consumption of large amounts of biomass, transporting nutrients across habitats, connecting ocean ecosystems, and physically modifying habitats.

"Traits, such as how large they are, what they eat, and how far they move, determine species' ecological functions. As a result, measuring the diversity of traits allows scientists to quantify the contributions of marine megafauna to ecosystems and assess the potential consequences of their extinction.

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"The results showed a diverse range of functional traits held by marine megafauna, as well as how the current extinction crisis might affect their functional diversity.

"If current trajectories are maintained, in the next 100 years we could lose, on average, 18% of marine megafauna species, which will translate in the loss of 11% of the extent of ecological functions. Nevertheless, if all currently threatened species were to go extinct, we could lose 40% of species and 48% of the extent of ecological functions.

"Sharks are predicted to be the most affected, with losses of functional richness far beyond those expected under random extinctions.

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"If we lose species, we lose unique ecological functions. This is a warning that we need to act now to reduce growing human pressures on marine megafauna, including climate change, while nurturing population recoveries.'"

Comment: The importance of econiches (ecosystems) is again demonstrated. The current bush of life is required and anticipated by God as He evolved life on Earth.