Urban Expansion May Spell Extinction to More than 850 Species

According to a research, more than 850 animal species, including the slow loris, are at risk of extinction in the next 30 years owing to urban sprawl.

(Photo : Reuters)

Many of us are aware of the climate catastrophe confronting the Earth and its people; nevertheless, a new study warns of an impending 'biodiversity crisis' resulting from human population expansion.

The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in their entirety.

Grave Impact

The impact of a predicted urban growth of 590,000 square miles (1.53 million square km) during the next 30 years was calculated by Yale University researchers.f

They discovered that such growth directly threatens the extinction of 855 animal species worldwide, particularly in 'biodiversity hotspots.'

The Javan slow loris, a primate endemic to Indonesia threatened by poaching, and the pink-headed warbler, a bird, found in Mexico and Guatemala, are two of the most endangered species.

Central Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Haiti, Nigeria, Cameroon, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brazil, and Ecuador are all home to species under threat from expansion.

Rohan Simkin, a researcher at Yale School of the Environment in Latest Haven, Connecticut, led the new review.

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Goals

(Photo : Johanna Turner)

One of the study's goals was to identify those species that are especially threatened by urban land expansion, not simply threatened in general, said Simkin.

He believes that the typical citizen is now well aware of the climate issue, but he doubts that they are aware of the biodiversity catastrophe.'

The worldwide urban population is expected to grow by 2.5 billion people in the next 30 years, resulting in a significant rise in urban sprawl.

Much of this urbanization is expected to take place in biodiversity hotspots, which are places rich in species that are in danger of extinction due to human activities.

However, experts believe that focusing on urban development that preserves ecosystems, such as cities with more green spaces, can help to mitigate the adverse effects of new concrete.

Risk of Extinction

According to Yale University's Karen Seto, despite the risk of extinction from land development, the study shows how cities may safeguard biodiversity in advance.

'The bulk of these places are still under construction,' she explained. 'Science-based policies that govern how cities of the future are created will have a huge impact.'

The researchers used Yale's Map of Life, a database of species distribution data used to monitor, investigate, and develop policies to conserve biodiversity.

It also used recently produced land-use estimates to estimate potential habitat loss from urban land growth for over 30,000 terrestrial species worldwide.

For around one-third of these species, urban land development is a crucial cause of habitat loss, while only a tiny proportion is threatened with extinction.

Endangered Species

The study discovered that metropolitan places with "many endemic species" and where growth can damage ecosystems had the greatest influence on species, rather than the world's largest metropolis.

Unfortunately, according to experts, these locations are gradually becoming more urbanized.

Many of these cities are located in tropical areas, where urbanization threatens valuable and "biodiverse" environments.

Cities in growing tropical regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, Mesoamerica, and Southeast Asia represent the biggest threat to species.

Overall, the study demonstrates the need to include legislation to protect species in urban areas in worldwide conservation efforts.

Cities are part of the answer, Seto explained. 'We can develop cities in a different way than we have in the past.

Potential

They have the potential to be good for the Earth; they can conserve species; they have the potential to be biodiversity hotspots, and they have the potential to save land for nature.