Extinct in the wild: The precarious state of Earth's most threatened group of species

• 成果类型: Review
• 署名作者: Smith, Donal; Abeli, Thomas; Bruns, Emily Beckman; Dalrymple, Sarah E.; Foster, Jeremy; Gilbert, Tania C.; Hogg, Carolyn J.; Lloyd, Natasha A.; Meyer, Abby; Moehrenschlager, Axel; Murrell, Olivia; Rodriguez, Jon Paul; Smith, Paul P.; Terry, Andrew; Ewen, John G.
• 署名单位: Zoological Society of London; Roma Tre University; Italfarmaco; Liverpool John Moores University; Northwestern University; University of Southampton; University of Sydney; University of Calgary; Venezuelan Institute Science Research; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-8633
• DOI: 10.1126/science.add2889
• 发表日期: 2023-02-24
• 页码: 794-+
• 关键词: viable population sizes; ex-situ conservation; biodiversity; vertebrates; gone

摘要

Extinct in the Wild (EW) species are placed at the highest risk of extinction under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, but the extent and variation in this risk have never been evaluated. Harnessing global databases of ex situ animal and plant holdings, we report on the perilous state of EW species. Most EW animal species-already compromised by their small number of founders- are maintained at population sizes far below the thresholds necessary to ensure demographic security. Most EW plant species depend on live propagation by a small number of botanic gardens, with a minority secured at seed bank institutions. Both extinctions and recoveries are possible fates for EW species. We urgently call for international effort to enable the latter.