Extinction occurs when species decline due to environmental forces (habitat fragmentation, global

change, natural disasters, overexploitation of species for human use) or due to evolutionary changes
in their members (genetic inbreeding, poor reproduction, decline in population numbers ).

Although extinctions occur naturally, the current rate of plant and animal extinctions is much higher
than the natural or historical rates. Habitat loss is the primary cause of higher extinction rates. Other
causes include habitat changes, over-exploitation of wildlife for commercial purposes, the
introduction of harmful nonnative species, pollution, and the spread of diseases.

Some consequences include: A Cascading Effect – when we lose one species, we may lose many
others that relied on them.

Reducing Pollination – we rely on pollinators for most of our crops. Losing pollinators could lead to
less production and ultimately the extinction of plants.

Loss of Medicine – many medications come from plants or animals. If ecosystems collapse or these
species dwindle, we may not be able to have access to certain medicines.

Negative Impact on Communities – those who work in the honey or fishing industries will be
negatively impacted if the source of their job goes extinct.1

The Saint Helena olive was already rare by the 19th century due to deforestation and grazing by
introduced goats, and was previously thought to be extinct until a single living specimen was
discovered in 1977. It was highly self-incompatible, meaning that most seeds produced with itself or
close relatives would fail, making it extremely difficult to grow seedlings, given that the population
size for the plant had probably always been low. Despite immense effort, only a single cutting of the
plant was able to be cultivated