Technology
A new study has revealed that 22% of the world's 380,000 plant species were endangered, critically endangered, or vulnerable.
Updated : Mar 11, 2018, 03:31 AM IST
One in five of the world's 380,000 plant species is threatened with extinction, and human activity is doing most of the damage, according to a global study.
"The greatest threat is conversion of natural habitats to agricultural use, directly impacting 33% of the threatened species," the authors wrote.
The findings were released ahead of a United Nations summit scheduled for mid-October in
The scientists used data analysed in a five-year study to draw up a ‘Sampled Red List Index for Plants’ which will be added to a series of IUCN ‘Red Lists’, designed to help monitor the changing status of the world's major groups of plants, fungi and animals.
As this was the first time a global analysis on the threat to the world's plants had been undertaken, the scientists said it would serve as a baseline to measure conservation efforts
The study found that agriculture, development, logging, and using land for livestock were among the main reasons for plant species being threatened.
"Present day human activities are pushing more plants towards extinction, but if the world's governments take the right steps we do have the potential to safeguard plant life and the creatures that depend on it," said Steve Bachman, a plant conservation analyst at
The study included 7,000 plant species drawn from five major groups.
Both common and rare plants species were assessed, to try to give an accurate picture of how plants were faring around the world, the scientists said at a briefing for reporters.
Researchers studied a random sample of about 1,500 species from each group, since assessing the threat to the world's estimated 380,000 plant species would be an enormous task, they said.
"The diversity of plants underpins all life on earth, so it is sobering that our own species is threatening the survival of many thousands of plant species," said Neil Brummitt, a botanical diversity researcher at the Natural History Museum.
"We have set the baseline. Now we all need to work together to safeguard not only the future of plants but the future of ourselves."