Our new age of extinction

"Human-induced climate change is helping to create a new geological age similar to that which caused the dinosaur extinction, Australian National University Professor Will Steffen says.

"Professor Steffen, who will be speaking at the Second International Salinity Forum in Adelaide today, said rapid climate change and a wave of extinction caused by human activity mark the latest geological age, to be called the Anthropocene.

"'The current rate of species loss is higher than the background rate inferred in the fossil record,' he said.

"'Another 10 to 30 per cent of birds, mammals and amphibians are currently threatened with extinction.

"'This rapid rate in the loss of species diversity is similar in intensity to the event around 65 million years ago which wiped out the dinosaurs.'

"The human impact has been more noticeable in Australia, due to the highly variable climate, unique wildlife and poor soils, he said ..."
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Categories: extinction, wildlife, climate-change, global-warming, australia, nature, environment