Populations will decline in sub-optimal habitats until they reach a limit beyond which they collapse. There has only been one known bird extinction in Europe in the past 30 years – the common button quail – but if trends continue there are likely to be many more in the next 30 years, said Ramírez.
EARTHNET BLACKHAWK DRIVERS
Invasive species is one of the top five drivers of biodiversity decline globally, but researchers did not look at whether these particular species were negatively impacting native populations. Ramírez said this is caused by the “perfect storm” – an increase in the wildlife trade, climate change making European habitats more suitable for exotic birds and an abundance of food in urban areas. INaturalist, eBird and Tree ID are among the hundreds of citizen science phone applications for biodiversity available. The Wildlife Trusts is asking for volunteers on citizen science projects. Zooniverse lists several projects you can help with that are not just limited to biodiversity. While stuck at home, you could even help scientists count penguins in Antarctica, monitor global seal populations or record large mammal sightings in Gabon. Whether you are documenting the organisms you see during your daily hour of exercise or just recording what you see from your window, the biodiversity you document will further scientific research. Nearly 35m observations of 269,859 species have been uploaded to the platform in towns, cities and rural areas from every continent. iNaturalist, a joint initiative between the California Academy of Sciences and the National Geographic Society, allows users to photograph and identify plant species around the world, informing scientific research. Nasa, the Natural History Museum and even the US government are among the many organisations that ask members of the public, including children, to help collect data, interpret results and solve research problems for scientific projects.Ĭitizen science plays a vital role in monitoring plant and animal populations around the world, often through mobile phone applications.
It has led to numerous discoveries, from new planets and animal species to insights on coral reef restoration and butterfly populations. At the same time, the situation is really very complex, and that’s why we will provide this dataset for further exploration and investigation,” said Dr Petr Voříšek from the Czech Society for Ornithology.Ĭitizen science is research performed by non-scientists, usually members of the public. “The results are confirmation that the major driving forces are climate change and land-use change. Generally, if a species is present in more areas it is less likely to go extinct, but it could be spreading out because of habitat deterioration, and not because the population has increased. Forest birds and those protected by international legislation have generally expanded their range, while farmland birds occupy a smaller total area. Overall, 35% of birds increased their breeding range, 25% contracted their breeding range and the rest did not show any change, or the trend is unknown. Eurasian bittern, pied avocet and red kites have also expanded their range, probably in response to better protection of habitats coupled with laws banning persecution. Mediterranean species such as the European bee-eater and little egret are now reaching the UK, France and the Netherlands, mainly due to milder winters.
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