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https://hdl.handle.net/2440/34286
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Type: | Journal article |
Title: | Catastrophic extinctions follow deforestation in Singapore |
Author: | Brook, B. Sodhi, N. Ng, P. |
Citation: | Nature, 2003; 424(6947):420-423 |
Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group |
Issue Date: | 2003 |
ISSN: | 0028-0836 1476-4687 |
Statement of Responsibility: | Barry W. Brook, Navjot S. Sodhi and Peter K. L. Ng |
Abstract: | The looming mass extinction of biodiversity in the humid tropics is a major concern for the future1, yet most reports of extinctions in these regions are anecdotal or conjectural, with a scarcity of robust, broad-based empirical data. Here we report on local extinctions among a wide range of terrestrial and freshwater taxa from Singapore (540 km2) in relation to habitat loss exceeding 95% over 183 years. Substantial rates of documented and inferred extinctions were found, especially for forest specialists, with the greatest proportion of extinct taxa (34–87%) in butterflies, fish, birds and mammals. Observed extinctions were generally fewer, but inferred losses often higher, in vascular plants, phasmids, decapods, amphibians and reptiles (5–80%). Forest reserves comprising only 0.25% of Singapore's area now harbour over 50% of the residual native biodiversity. Extrapolations of the observed and inferred local extinction data, using a calibrated species–area model7, 8, 9, imply that the current unprecedented rate of habitat destruction in Southeast Asia10 will result in the loss of 13–42% of regional populations over the next century, at least half of which will represent global species extinctions. |
Keywords: | Animals Trees Conservation of Natural Resources Ecosystem Population Dynamics Species Specificity Singapore |
Rights: | © 2003 Nature Publishing Group |
DOI: | 10.1038/nature01795 |
Published version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature01795 |
Appears in Collections: | Aurora harvest 6 Earth and Environmental Sciences publications Environment Institute Leaders publications |
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