Researchers: One-Fifth of Earth’s Plant Life Under Threat of Extinction

[Hissyspit]

Source: AFP

Researchers: One-fifth of Earth’s plant life under threat of extinction

By Agence France-Presse
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 -- 9:30 pm

More than a fifth of the world's plant species faces the threat of extinction, a trend with potentially catastrophic effects for life on Earth, according to research released on Wednesday. But a separate study cautioned that extinction of mammals had been overestimated and suggested some mammal species thought to have been wiped out may yet be rediscovered.

Stephen Hopper, director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, said the report on plant loss was the most accurate mapping yet of the threat to the planet's estimated 380,000 plant species.

"This study confirms what we already suspected, that plants are under threat and the main cause is human-induced habitat loss," Hopper said at the launch of the so-called Sampled Red List Index.

- snip -

"We cannot sit back and watch plant species disappear -- plants are the basis of all life on Earth, providing clean air, water, food and fuel. All animal and bird life depends on them, and so do we," Hopper added. The study comes ahead of a meeting in Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 29, where members of the UN's Biodiversity Convention will set new targets to save endangered wildlife.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/researchers-onefifth-earths-plants-threat/

[kestrel91316]

1. Christian fundies and RW nutballs: "Mission accomplished!!!"

[Taverner]

3. Hasten the end times!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LXuNpF6NVg

[Turborama]

2. This reminds of the mind blowing documentary "Call For Life" that has taken a few years to make

I posted the trailer here more than a year and a half ago: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x281267

It's being screened now and I'm still trying to find out how to get hold of a copy.

http://speciesalliance.org/events.php

Thanks for posting. BIG :kick: & R

ETA it's on IMDB now: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1002965/

REALLY frustrating that it's so hard to get a copy that I could easily add subtitles to and disseminate around Indonesia.

Edit 2...

Good review here: http://www.marinij.com/lifestyles/ci_14281933

I've found it for sale on DVD but it's a bit pricey: http://greenplanetfilms.org/product_info.php?cPath=151&products_id=722

Edit 3...

Just found another couple of good ones recommended on The Oil Drum. "Blind Spot" & "What a Way to Go - Life at the End of Empire"

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/5127

[DirkGently]

4. Chilling, though unsurprising. Thanks for this.

[alp227]

5. Thanks a lot BP and corporate polluters. Industry hates nature. n/t

[Delphinus]

6. Unless it's

the human race that is explicitly being threatened, not many will care.