Extinction may be a natural process, but due to human activities, it is currently proceeding at an artificially accelerated rate. Field experiments and observations demonstrate that species extinctions may have broad consequences including related extinctions, loss of ecosystem functions, and disease. This module provides an overview of the patterns and consequences of biodiversity loss, with a review of key concepts and groups such as keystone species and tropic interactions.

View this module in other languages:
Consecuencias Ecológicas de la Extinción (Spanish)
Gestion des Espèces Menaces: Cas des Vertébrés (French)

See also:
Amphibian Declines
Assessing Threats in Conservation Planning and Management

Theme: Ecology for Conservation

Language: English

Region: Global

Keywords: extinction, ecological consequences, ecosystem function, population dynamics, ecotourism

Components: 6

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