What Does Functionally Extinct Mean {June} Do You Know? >> The article defines the term functionally extinct and discusses the implications of this on people around the world.
Do you feel like educating yourself with the phenomenon of the world? If you answered affirmative, then this article is for you.
The term is associated with the ecosystem and fauna. It is catching up like a wildfire, and you would see this word being the hot topic for Worldwide discussion.
Recently Australian Koala Foundation used this word to describe the state of the Koala population in different parts of Australia.
So Let’s understand What Does Functionally Extinct Mean and why it’s an important term.
Understanding the term
Functionally extinct means when a species of flora or fauna are on the verge of extinction. The species are very few and are at a critical stage. The Functionally extinct species would stop playing their role in the ecosystem as they previously did. If the predator species is functionally extinct, then the prey species would grow exponentially in number. It creates a misbalance in the ecosystem.
Another characteristic feature of functionally extinct animals is that they cease to reproduce. It’s because of the reduced number of members to procreate.
What Does Functionally Extinct Mean as the situation
It is no surprise that there are a large number of species Worldwide categorized under the list of Functionally extinct animals. To understand the gravity of the situation, we would enlist some of the animals under the list. Henceforth some major animals are:
- White rhinoceros
- Atlantic right whale
- South China tiger
- Koala
- Baiji Dolphin
Impact of the process
A famous scientific theory of motion states every action has an equal and opposite reaction. This statement is true in the case of every natural phenomenon. Therefore, it is no surprise What Does Functionally Extinct Mean to the environment. The level of the repercussions will depend on the species that are on the verge of extinction.
Some of the jarring effects of the process will be:
- If the animal species have a specific function in the ecosystem, then the absence of the species would cause a trophic cascade effect. It would affect other species connected via the ecosystem.
- If the predator species are affected, it may have dire consequences such as pandemics, fires, decreased carbon sequestration, etc., and impact human beings directly.
- The pollination of the plants will also be affected.
- If we fail to recognize What Does Functionally Extinct Mean, we will lose the biodiversity that includes medicinal plants.
- Even the livelihood people who depend on the natural resources and animals will be in grave danger.
Conclusion
The latest development in the topic, as per the news, is the quintessential question of is it important to save all the species from the verge of extinction?
To this biologist, Paul Ehrlich says that our ecosystem is similar to an airplane, and species in the ecosystem are the fasteners that clutch it wisely. When we take out some parts, it does not affect the mechanism of the plane. However, if we many fragments, the airplane will crash”.
What Does Functionally Extinct Mean to you, and what are your thoughts on the current situation? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below. For more details, visit
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