What do we lose when a species goes extinct

　　The extinction of one species may cause the entire ecosystem to collapse and collapse. For example, more than 200 plants rely on fruit bats for pollination. These plants can produce more than 400 different foods, many of which are valuable to humans. However, the number of pollinators is rapidly declining, threatening the survival of many plants.
　　For modern humans, although the dinosaurs went extinct because of a natural disaster, more and more species are now extinct because of human activities. What’s more worrying is that the extinction rate of species today is much higher than at any time in history.
　　Unfortunately, we didn’t realize its importance until a species became endangered. What happens when a species goes extinct? How can we prevent this from happening?
　　How extinctions occurred
　　since 1735 biologist Carl Linnaeus to classify life on Earth, about 1.25 million species (approximately one million in terrestrial ecosystems, 250,000 in the ocean) it was discovered and incorporated into the contents. However, according to the latest estimates, there are more than 8.7 million eukaryotic species on the earth (with an error of 1.3 million species). This discovery means that at least 91% of marine species and 86% of terrestrial species have not yet been discovered.
　　A certain species may become extinct due to environmental factors, such as climate change, evolutionary variation, and human factors (human activities lead to habitat loss). In the past, climate change led to several large-scale species extinctions, such as the Ordovician-Silurian extinction 444 million years ago. Volcanic activity also led to mass extinctions, such as the late Devonian mass extinction 380 million years ago. 66 million years ago, an asteroid caused the dinosaur species to disappear from the earth. However, the situation today is very different. Most species did not become extinct due to environmental factors, but were pushed to the brink of extinction by humans.
　　Among the many threats to other species, the loss of habitat caused by human activities (including population growth, land occupied by farming, and housing, etc.) is the main driving force for species extinction. Even if the habitat has not completely disappeared, they may be altered to a large extent, making them unsuitable for wild animals. As a result, the wild species disappeared one by one, until none were left.
　　Coupled with climate change, invasive species, spread of diseases, environmental pollution, illegal hunting, wanton poaching, and wildlife trade, we are facing a fatal and multifaceted environmental crisis. Although some species can withstand these threats, they are not All species can adapt, so that they are gradually on the road to extinction. According to the latest assessment data, human activities are leading to the extinction of 1 million species, and the extinction rate of species today is 1,000 times that of prehistoric times. In the future, this data may increase to 10,000 times.
　　
　　When a species from going extinct what will happen
　　even if the extinction of a species, can also cause ripples across the globe, entire ecosystems may face collapse, collapse.
　　One of the most adverse effects of species extinction is the destruction of the food chain and food web. The food chain is a linear manifestation of organisms eating each other. The food web combines many food chains, which means that organisms can prey or be hunted. If a species goes extinct, the entire ecosystem will break balance and be destroyed.
　　For example, American gray wolves controlled the number of prey (such as moose, elk, etc.) before they became extinct in the United States, but their disappearance will cause a chain reaction. The surge in the number of prey has led to the extinction of many plants, thereby threatening the number of birds. When the number of birds drops sharply, the number of insects will increase rapidly, and then you will see how the disappearance of a species produces a series of chain reactions in the entire ecosystem.
　　Among the many endangered species, pollinators may be the most worrying. When a species goes extinct, the impact in the ecosystem is pollination. As we all know, 75% of plants and crops are pollinated by bees, birds and insects. However, in many countries, the number of pollinators (such as bees) is rapidly declining, and the complete extinction of pollinating insects threatens many plants. For example, more than 200 plants rely on fruit bats for pollination. These plants can produce more than 400 different foods, many of which are valuable to humans. Similarly, many birds and animals pollinate plants as they migrate from one area to another. When fruit-eaters and herbivores become extinct, plants and trees will face an extinction crisis due to the loss of pollinators to spread seeds.
　　What is more worrying is that the extinction of pollinators (species that only feed on a few specific plants), which are very picky foraging, will bring about the collapse of the entire regional ecosystem. For example, reptiles, birds, and mammals living on islands are experts in pollination. For plants that are not eaten by any other organisms, these pollinators are very important. If they go extinct, then the plants that depend on them for pollination are also very important. Will face extinction.
　　What can we do to slow down the extinction of species
　　As one can see, even the extinction of a species will have a profound impact on other species, including humans. Therefore, as part of the natural world of the earth, we must do everything we can to ensure that no species will go extinct.
　　At the world level, to prevent species extinction, the first and most critical step is for governments to formulate policies and regulations to protect biodiversity and its habitats.
　　At the personal level, people should not buy products that involve animals, such as fur coats. Use as little plastic as possible to protect biodiversity.