The document discusses the ongoing sixth mass extinction, primarily driven by human activities such as habitat destruction and climate change, which is causing species extinction rates to increase dramatically. It outlines historical mass extinctions, noting the severe loss of biodiversity and the irreversible consequences of extinction. The document emphasizes the urgent need for conservation efforts, including habitat protection, combating climate change, promoting sustainable practices, and enhancing public awareness.

1. Are we in the middle of Sixth
Mass Extinction?Group 6:

2. Mass Extinction
•Mass extinctions are geological events
characterized by a substantial loss of
biodiversity over a relatively short period.
Earth has experienced five major mass
extinctions in the last 500 million years, with
the last one wiping out the dinosaurs around
66 million years ago.

3. •Mass Extinction
•The planet has experienced five previous
mass extinction events, the last one
occurring 65.5 million years ago which wiped
out the dinosaurs from existence. Experts
now believe we’re in the midst of a sixth
mass extinction.

4. •Unlike previous extinction events caused by
natural phenomena, the sixth mass extinction
is driven by human activity, primarily (though
not limited to) the unsustainable use of land,
water and energy use, and climate change.

5. •Currently, 40% of all land has been converted for
food productionWe can see it in the fossil record.
Fossils that are abundant in earlier rock layers
are simply not present in later rock layers. A wide
range of animals and plants suddenly died out,
from tiny marine organisms to large dinosaurs.

6. 1. End-Ordovician Extinction (444 million years
ago):
•This event resulted in the
disappearance of 85% of marine
species due to a combination of
climate change, glaciation, and
falling sea levels.

7. 2. Late Devonian Extinction (375-360 million years
ago):
This extinction event primarily
impacted marine life, causing the
loss of approximately 70% of species
due to global cooling, anoxia (oxygen
depletion) in oceans, and asteroid
impacts.

8. 3. Permian-Triassic Extinction (252 million years
ago):
•Known as the “Great Dying,” this was the
most severe extinction event in Earth’s
history. It led to the loss of around 96% of
marine species and 70% of terrestrial
species, likely caused by multiple factors
such as massive volcanic eruptions, global
warming, and ocean acidification.

9. 4. Triassic-Jurassic Extinction (201 million years
ago):
•Approximately 70% of species,
mostly marine, vanished during
this event. The causes include
volcanic activity, climate change,
and asteroid impacts.

10. 5. Cretaceous-Paleogene Extinction (66 million
years ago):
•This event wiped out non-avian
dinosaurs, along with many other
species. It was triggered by a massive
asteroid impact, leading to drastic
environmental changes and ecosystem
collapse.

11. •Based on these historical
patterns, we can draw several
conclusions relevant to the
current sixth mass extinction:

12. 1. Human activities are the primary cause:
Unlike previous mass extinctions, the
current one is largely driven by
human-induced factors, such as
habitat destruction, climate change,
pollution, overexploitation, and the
introduction of invasive species.

13. 2. Alarming rate of species loss:
•The rate of species extinction
today is estimated to be 100 to
1,000 times higher than natural
background rates, suggesting an
unprecedented biodiversity
crisis.

14. 3. Ecosystem collapse:
The loss of species in an ecosystem
can lead to cascading impacts,
disrupting vital ecological processes,
and compromising the stability and
resilience of ecosystems.

15. 4. Irreversible consequences:
Once a species goes extinct, it is
lost forever, eroding the Earth’s
overall biodiversity and
depleting important genetic
resources for future generations.

16. 5. Urgent need for action:
•To prevent further biodiversity loss
and mitigate the sixth mass
extinction, immediate and
concerted efforts are required at all
levels, from individual actions to
international collaborations.

17. •Based on these conclusions,
I propose the following
recommendations for
biodiversity and species
conservation:

18. 1. Strengthen habitat protection:
Enhance the establishment and
management of protected areas to
safeguard crucial habitats for
endangered species and promote
ecological restoration.

19. 2. Combat climate change:
•Mitigate greenhouse gas emissions,
transition to clean and renewable
energy sources, and implement
adaptation strategies to reduce the
impacts of climate change on species
and ecosystems.

20. 3. Promote sustainable practices:
•Encourage sustainable
agriculture, fisheries, and
forestry practices that minimize
habitat destruction, pollution,
and overexploitation of natural
resources.

21. 4. Combat illegal wildlife trade:
•Strengthen law enforcement
efforts to combat the illegal
trade of endangered species
and their derivatives, addressing
both supply and demand sides
of this issue.

22. 5. Enhance education and public awareness:
Promote environmental
education, raise public
awareness about the importance
of biodiversity, and engage
communities in conservation
initiatives.

23. ARIGATHANKS
From G6 9B