Extinction debt: a challenge for biodiversity conservation

• Published in: Trends in ecology & evolution (Amsterdam) Vol. 24; no. 10; pp. 564 - 571
• Main Authors: Kuussaari, Mikko, Bommarco, Riccardo, Heikkinen, Risto K., Helm, Aveliina, Krauss, Jochen, Lindborg, Regina, Öckinger, Erik, Pärtel, Meelis, Pino, Joan, Rodà, Ferran, Stefanescu, Constantí, Teder, Tiit, Zobel, Martin, Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biodiversity; Biologi; Biological and medical sciences; Biology; Conservation of Natural Resources; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Ecology; Ekologi; Environmental Sciences; Extinction, Biological; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics; Genetik; Miljövetenskap; NATURAL SCIENCES; NATURVETENSKAP; Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking; Terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecology; Terrestrisk, limnisk och marin ekologi; Degradation; Ecosystem; Species extinction; Conservation; Analytical method; Loss; Taxon; Habitat; Ecological recovery; Biodiversity; Generation time; Environmental design
• ISSN: 0169-5347; 1872-8383; 1872-8383
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2009.04.011

Local extinction of species can occur with a substantial delay following habitat loss or degradation. Accumulating evidence suggests that such extinction debts pose a significant but often unrecognized challenge for biodiversity conservation across a wide range of taxa and ecosystems. Species with long generation times and populations near their extinction threshold are most likely to have an extinction debt. However, as long as a species that is predicted to become extinct still persists, there is time for conservation measures such as habitat restoration and landscape management. Standardized long-term monitoring, more high-quality empirical studies on different taxa and ecosystems and further development of analytical methods will help to better quantify extinction debt and protect biodiversity.