New Facts on Extinction

The Sentinel , Monday, August 14, 2006
Correspondent : Jatindra Dash
A single animal species is likely to become extinct from different locations on Earth around the same time if a common external factor, or ‘‘forcing’’, is applied, say two Indian researchers.

In a joint study, Professor Govindan Rangarajan of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and Professor RE Amritkar, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, say that ‘‘synchronisation’’ of the species precedes extinction if there is a common external forcing.

‘‘Such a forcing could be anything from an ice age, global warming or a volcanic eruption to meteorites hitting the earth, threat from predators and even large-scale hunting by humans,’’ their study states.

The separated communities of the species synchronize together before becoming extinct. Animal populations all over the world are likely to synchronize their numbers before dying out, the researchers say. More than 99 percent of the species that ever existed on the surface of the earth are now extinct, and their extinction on a global scale has been a puzzle for scientists worldwide.

Many are of the opinion that a species under an external threat like climate change, asteroids hitting the earth and volcanic eruptions may survive in some isolated locations — leading to the revival of the species.

However, the latest research conducted over a year suggests that if a species becomes extinct in one location, it becomes extinct globally in all locations. Populations of a single animal species will become extinct at the same time due to the common external factor, or ‘‘forcing’’, according to the study.

They have based their findings on a theory called Special Spatial Synchronization. The model, if correct, implies that isolating an endangered species will not necessarily mean it survives — a strategy often proposed by conservationists and wildlife groups, it said.

For example, many species, including the giant dinosaurs, have disappeared. Thus was due to catastrophic events. ‘‘They became extinct since the climatic conditions became unfavourable,’’ Rangarajan says. There are many species facing extinction like the spider monkey of Colombia and the black howler monkey among other species, says Rangarajan.

‘‘We started with some experimental data showing that a predator can synchronize prey populations across different locations,’’ he says. According to Rangarajan, ‘‘it is not clear whether human beings face extinction. If there is a catastrophic event like large asteroids hitting the earth, this can happen.’’ Similarly, global warming can play a role in future extinctions. (IANS)

 
SOURCE : The Sentinel, Monday, August 14, 2006
 


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