Extinction Assignment
Extinction is the ultimate extermination of a species or organism that typically results from environmental forces like natural disasters, human encroachment, and global changes (Withgott & Laposata, 2018). It can also be caused by evolutionary changes like genetic inbreeding and a decline in a species population. Technically, when a species is termed as extinct, no family member is alive in any part of the world. The definitions listed above draw varying opinions from scholars, some regarding extinction as a natural cycle, while others assume adverse human activities cause the effect. In truth, both perspectives are valid as extinction is caused by both natural causes and can be propelled by human beings.
Natural extinction is caused by factors like genetic pollution of organisms and species, predation, climatic changes, and co-extinction. The latter is the extermination of a specific species caused by the extinction of another one. For instance, the demise of a parasite species can be propelled by a host species’ extermination. On the other hand, human-related extinction factors include over-consumption, environmental pollution, and species’ habitats’ encroachment, naming a few.
Technically, the rate of extinction has multiplied approximately 1000 times before human existence. Calculations of death rates per year of at-risk species were 0.1 per million before humans existed, rising to 100-1000 per million in recent centuries (Pimm et al., 2014). The surge in death rates has been linked to habitats’ wreckage by human beings through practices like farming, environmental pollution, and construction. Humans destroy plants and push animals further away from their natural habitats each day. Furthermore, recent climatic changes have been a significant blow for many species and organisms, specifically those that mutate slows. Current statistics and conditions depict that extinction rates might skyrocket in the future.
Nonetheless, there is a glimpse of hope in leveraging technology to salvage endangered species. Human tendency towards innovation combined with rapidly advancing technology will help construct solutions to save some species from being endangered endangered or extinct. For instance, mapping and visualization innovations have become a reliable tool for conserving and preserving species and organisms. The resources have enabled scientists to discover new species and monitor endangered species’ habitats and life cycles. Through technology and human ingenuity, the rates of extinction might lessen in the long-term.