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A recent analysis has found that one-fifth of the 14,669 varieties of plants and animals in Europe, registered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, are at risk of extinction.
Research revealed that changes in agricultural land use pose the biggest threat to declining biodiversity in Europe, resulting in habitat loss and the overexploitation of biological resources, as stated in a news release for the study published Wednesday in the journal Plos One.
Lead study author Axel Hochkirch, from the National Museum of Natural History in Luxembourg, emphasized the importance of understanding and addressing the threats to biodiversity.
Analyzing the Red List
Europe has the most comprehensive data included in the IUCN Red List, accounting for nearly 10% of the continent’s total biodiversity. A staggering 19% of Red List species in Europe are “at risk of extinction,” including 27% of plants, 24% of invertebrates, and 18% vertebrates.
“One of the most interesting findings of the study is that plants and invertebrates are more endangered than vertebrates,” said Gerardo Ceballos, a professor at the Institute of Ecology at National Autonomous University of Mexico.
A 2019 global assessment estimated that 10% of insects across the world were threatened with extinction, yet the new analysis found that double the number of invertebrates in Europe were at risk.
Invertebrates make up 95% of animal species in the world, with 73% being insects, according to the IUCN.
The new analysis suggests that the number of species threatened with extinction globally is closer to 2 million, said lead author Axel Hochkirch.
“This is an interesting paper showing once again, that the extinction crisis is more severe than previously thought,” said Gerardo Ceballos.
Major threats to European biodiversity
Apart from changes in agricultural land use, the analysis identified pollution, climate change, invasive species, and urbanization as other major threats to Europe’s biodiversity.
Dr. David Williams, a sustainability and environment lecturer at the University of Leeds, highlighted the greater impact of agriculture on global biodiversity.
Lead author of a 2020 study, Dr. David Williams, pointed out the challenges in preserving biodiversity without affecting food production.
Axel Hochkirch hopes the study encourages more conservation efforts for insects and other threatened species in Europe.
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