Biodiversity loss from species extinctions may rival pollution and climate change impacts

Species extinction and loss of biodiversity could be as devastating for the earth as climate change and air pollution. That's the finding of a new study by a group of scientists from nine countries. The research aims for the first time to comprehensively compare the consequences of biodiversity loss with other possible environmental issues caused by humans.

Ecologist and University of Michigan assistant professor, Bradley Cardinale, who helped write the study, says, "Loss of biological diversity due to species extinctions is going to have major impacts on our planet, and we better prepare ourselves to deal with them. These extinctions may well rank as one of the top five drivers of global change."

The study, which suggests that more moves must be made to strengthen biodiversity at all levels, has just been published online in the Nature journal.