Extinction

Depiction of Dodo bird, which is extinct. Harvard Museum of Natural
History. Photo courtesy of Allie Caulfield/Flickr. Licensed CC BY.

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Extinction is the loss of all members of one species. It is difficult to determine exactly when extinction occurs, because counting every member of a species is often hard. Extinction means a loss of biodiversity, which can be harmful to other organisms within the ecosystem.

Extinction can occur for several reasons:
  • Loss of habitat (due to natural or human activities)
  • Disaster
  • Disease
  • Invasive species
  • Climate change
Last modified: Monday, 31 October 2011, 5:36 PM