One-fifth of invertebrates risk extinction

September 8th 2012

One in five of the world’s invertebrate species are threatened with extinction, according to the latest report from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

From the checkerspot butterfly to the giant squid, spineless creatures are thought to represent around 99% of biodiversity on Earth. However, until now, scientists have never attempted a comprehensive review of their conservation status. In fact, fewer than 1% of invertebrates had been assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which has listed threatened species on its Red List since 1963.

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The report estimates that 34% of freshwater invertebrates could be under threat, including more than half of the world’s freshwater snails and slugs. In the southeastern United States, which is a freshwater diversity hotspot, almost 40% of molluscs and crayfish could be wiped out owing to the effects of dams and pollution. In the oceans, almost one-third of reef-building corals are endangered largely because of climate change, which causes coral bleaching and ocean acidification.

Overall, habitat loss, pollution and invasive species represented the biggest threats to invertebrate diversity around the world. The proportion of species at risk (one-fifth) is similar to findings in vertebrates and plants. The report will be formally presented on 7 September at the World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea, where conservationists, scientists and government leaders will meet to discuss conservation and development issues.

Read the entire article: Nature