Humans are driving biodiversity loss among all species across the planet, according to a synthesis of more than 2,000 studies.
The study – which accounted for nearly 100,000 sites across all continents – found that human activities had resulted in “unprecedented effects on biodiversity”, according to the paper, published in Nature.
Particularly severe losses were recorded among reptiles, amphibians and mammals, according to the paper. Their populations are often smaller than invertebrates, which increases the chances of extinction.
The analysis covered five drivers of decline: habitat change, direct exploitation of resources (such as hunting or fishing), climate change, invasive species and pollution.