5/27/2022

Extinction

Dr. MUHAMMAD ARSHAD

What is Extinction?

Extinction occurs when the last existing

member of a given species dies without
producing progeny.

In other words…there aren’t any more left!

It is a scientific certainty when there are

not any surviving individuals left to
reproduce.

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The extinction crisis

True Extinction

Pseudo-extinction:
species disappear in a different sense
when their lineage is transformed over
evolution – any time or when they divide
into two or more separate lineages

Functional Extinction
Only a handful of individuals are left
Odds of reproduction are slim

The extinction crisis

Extinction is natural process.

Fossil record show the vast majority of the

species is extinct (1000:1)

Average life span of a species is around 4

million years

Back ground extinction rate is 2.5 species

per annum per 10 million species.

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Causes of Extinction

Genetics and Demographics

Habitat degradation
Predation
Competition
Disease
Coextinction
Natural causes of extinction
Human induced

Causes of Extinction

Genetics and Demographics

Small populations = increased risk
Mutations
Causes a flux in natural selection
Beneficial genetic traits are overruled

Loss of Genetic Diversity

Shallow gene pools promote massive
inbreeding
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Causes of Extinction
Habitat Degradation
One of the most influential

Has many causes

Some due to humans

Some due to other factors

Habitat Degradation
 Toxicity
Kills off species directly through food/water

Indirectly via sterilization

Can occur in short spans (a single generation)

Can occur over several generations

Increasing toxicity
Increasing competition for habitat resources

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Habitat Degradation

 Destruction of Habitat
“Save the Rainforests!”
Elimination of living space
Change in habitat
Rainforest to pasture lands
Leads to diminishing resources
Increases competition
Can be caused by natural processes
Volcanoes, floods, drought, etc…

Predation
 Introduction of predators

Invasive alien species

Transported by humans

Cattle, rats, zebra muscles, etc…

Sometimes on purpose, sometimes not

Can eat other species

Eat food sources

Introduce diseases
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Coextinction
 The loss of one species leads to the loss of
another

 Chain of extinction

 Can be caused by small impacts in the beginning

 A predator looses its food source

 Affected by interconnectedness in nature

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Natural Causes of Extinction

Climatic Heating and Cooling

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Changes in Sea Level or

Currents

 www.johnstonsarchive.net/spaceart/cylmaps.html

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Cosmic Radiation

 www.iit.edu/~ipro313s/home.html

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Acid Rain

 Kills acid intolerant

species

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Disease/Epidemics

 Can wipe out entire

species
 Frog with fungus disease
 Killing frogs and other
amphibians

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Spread of Invasive Species

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Natural factors usually occur at a

slower rate and therefore cause a low
extinction rate. Human activities
occur at a faster rate and cause
higher extinction rates. Human
activities are mostly responsible for
the present extinction rates.

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Human Causes of Extinction

Increased human population

Destruction/Fragmentation of habitat

Pollution

Climate change/Global warming

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Invasions of Nonnative Species

Invasion by species introduced by humans is

probably the most permanent form of
pollution.
Dispersal of species is one of the less
recognized forms of global change instigated
by humans.
Once an invader becomes established,
eradicating it is almost impossible.
Why do species invade successfully?
Predicting which species will invade and the
effects of the invasion is difficult.

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Population growth and animal

extinctions
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The causes of extinction of animals, based

on a knowledge of 484 extinct species.

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Patterns of extinction
 Extinction rates are higher on islands than on
mainland

 Introduced species can stimulate extinction

through;
Competition
Predation
Parasitism
disease

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Recorded extinctions, 1600 to present, on

mainland areas, islands and the ocean
Taxa Mainla Islan Total Approximate Percentage
nd d Number Of of Taxa
Species Extinct
Since 1600
Mammals 30 51 81 4,000 2.0

Birds 21 92 113 9,000 1.3

Reptiles 1 20 21 6,300 0.3
Amphibians 2 0 2 4,200 0.05
Fish 22 1 23 19,100 0.12
Invertebrat 49 48 97 More than 0.02
es 1,000,000
Vascular 380 219 599 250,000 0.24
plants
Total 505 431 936

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Characteristics that make species particularly vulnerable to

extinction.
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Endangered species
 The species at risk of extinction or vulnerable
to extinction
 Various factors threatening extinction, mostly
anthropogenic are;
Habitat loss or extinction
Hunting for meat and fur or for pet trade
Accidental or deliberate introduction of exotic
species
Deliberate eradication or disturbance of species
Incidental takes – drowning of aquatic reptiles
and mammals in fishing nets
Disease – exotic or endemic

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