A new study finds extinction rates for plants, arthropods and land vertebrates peaked about a century ago and have since declined. The research challenges projections of an accelerating mass extinction, arguing past causes like invasive species on islands differ from current threats. Habitat destruction on continents is now the primary driver of species endangerment, not the island invasions that caused many past extinctions. The analysis of 912 extinct species over 500 years shows extinction risk is not uniform and past losses are poor predictors of current threats. Researchers emphasize the findings do not diminish the biodiversity crisis but aim to provide a more accurate,…

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