Extinction

Anthropogenic Causes of extinction

Overexploitation, Habitat degradation, Introduced species, Disease, Pollution, Climate Change

Ecological extinction

When a species has low density and no longer interacts significantly within its ecosystem

Local extinction (Extirpation)

When a species is lost in only a specific area or region

Global extinction

When a species is completely gone from all of Earth

Species most vulnerable to extinction

Attributes include: Rarity, Narrow range, Large area requirements, Low reproduction, and Specialization

Cascade effect (Trophic Cascade)

When some extinctions lead to or trigger subsequent extinctions in an ecosystem

Dominant species

Species with a large impact because they are common and have a large effect

Ecosystem engineers

Species that have a large impact because they modify their habitat

Keystone species

Species that have a much greater impact on their ecosystem than expected based on their abundance

IUCN Red List

Systematic listing maintained by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources to track species endangerment status

IUCN Status Categories (from most severe)

Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, and No data/not evaluated

Human population and extinctions

Highest human population areas align with the number of extinct species in that area, since humans drive extinction and endangerment