A sweeping new global analysis confirms that humans are driving widespread biodiversity loss across all species and ecosystems. Synthesizing over 2,000 scientific studies and data from nearly 100,000 sites worldwide, researchers have found compelling and unprecedented evidence of humanity’s profound and damaging impact on Earth’s biodiversity.
Led by experts from the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) and the University of Zurich, the study spans terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments — and includes a comprehensive range of life forms, from microbes and fungi to mammals and birds. Published in Nature, the research represents one of the most extensive reviews ever conducted on human-induced biodiversity change.
The findings are stark: human activity has shifted species composition and reduced local biodiversity by nearly 20% on average in affected areas. Due to their smaller population sizes and heightened extinction risks, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals show severe declines.
The researchers assessed five primary drivers behind the biodiversity collapse:
- Habitat destruction
- Overexploitation of resources (like hunting and fishing)
- Climate change
- Pollution
- Invasive species
The study shows that each factor powerfully and consistently impacts biodiversity across every type of ecosystem and all species groups examined.
“Our findings show that human pressures are not isolated in their impact,” said François Keck, the study’s lead author. “They are deeply interconnected and globally pervasive.” Read More
News Credit: The Guardian
Picture Credit: Baz Ratner/Reuters