IMPLICATIONS OF ENDEMICS-AREA RELATIONSHIPS FOR ESTIMATES OF SPECIES EXTINCTIONS

摘要: Species are disappearing at unprecedented rates because of habitat destruc- tion. Lack detailed knowledge about total numbers species and their global or regional distributions, however, makes it difficult to quantify extinction precisely. Current estimates attributed destruction generally rely on species-area relationships. Many the predictions based relationships, appear overestimate extent current extinction. In a previous paper, we used relationship as our starting point derive for areal distri- bution endemics within habitat, an "endemics-area relationship." The endemics- area is logically mathematically consistent with relation- ship, but provides additional information distribution biome. this use endemics-area improve ex- tinction conversion. At low levels de- struction, loss using significantly lower than existing estimates, rapid rise in predicted when threshold exceeded suggests that extrapolation recent may underestimate future extinctions under continued land clearing.