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In this lesson we explore what happens when species disappear forever, the causes of extinction, the importance of biodiversity, and the methods used to conserve it.
Extinction occurs when there are no living individuals of a species remaining anywhere on Earth. The species is gone permanently — it cannot come back.
Extinction is a natural part of life's history. Over 99% of all species that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct. However, the current rate of extinction is estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times higher than the natural background rate, largely due to human activity.
Species can become extinct for many reasons, often a combination of several factors:
| Change | Effect |
|---|---|
| Climate change | Habitats become too hot, cold, wet or dry for a species to survive |
| Sea level change | Coastal and island habitats are flooded or exposed |
| Habitat destruction | Forests cleared, wetlands drained, grasslands converted to farmland |
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