Nearly a third of the world’s tree species are facing extinction: report | Climate Change News

Conservation organizations say that the number of threatened tree species is twice the total number of threatened mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

According to a new report, nearly one-third of the world’s tree species are in danger of extinction, while hundreds of tree species are on the verge of extinction.

landmark LearnAccording to a report released on Wednesday by the International Botanical Garden Conservation Organization (BGCI), approximately 17,500 tree species (30% of the total) are at risk of extinction, while 440 tree species have fewer than 50 specimens left in the wild.

The report said that overall, the number of threatened tree species is twice the total number of threatened mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

BGCI Secretary-General Paul Smith said in a statement: “This report is a wake-up call to everyone around the world. Trees need help.”

The most vulnerable trees include species such as magnolia and dipterocarp, which are common in tropical rainforests in Southeast Asia. According to the report, oak, maple and ebony trees are also under threat.

Trees help support natural ecosystems and are considered to be critical to global warming and climate change. The extinction of a single tree species may lead to the disappearance of many other tree species.

“Every tree species is important-to the millions of other species that rely on trees and people all over the world,” Smith added.

The report found that thousands of tree species in the top six countries in the world’s tree species diversity are in danger of extinction. The largest single number is in Brazil, where 1,788 species are at risk.

The other five countries are Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Colombia and Venezuela.

According to the report, the three major threats facing tree species are crop production, timber logging and animal husbandry, while climate change and extreme weather are emerging threats.

According to the report, at least 180 tree species are directly threatened by rising sea levels and severe weather, especially island species such as magnolia in the Caribbean.

Although countries with a wide variety of species face the largest number of species at risk of extinction, island species are at greater risk.

The report added: “This is particularly worrying because many islands have tree species that can’t be found elsewhere.”