New study shows more than 30% of world's tree species are on the verge of extinction: how it will affect our future

Scientists have outlined the "first global picture of of the conservation status of trees", which shows that almost all of the world's species were added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It was also found that more than 30 percent of the identified tree species are now on the verge of extinction.

This is bad news not only for trees - people and wildlife alike depend on the world's forests. Thriving, naturally diverse forests are essential in mitigating both climate change and biodiversity loss, writes Ifl Science.

The Global Tree Assessment, which involved more than 1,000 experts from around the world over a decade, found that of the 47,282 tree species that were assessed and added to the list, at least 16,425 are endangered. This list is twice as large as the list of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species that are also endangered.

A special risk point was also identified: islands, which currently have the largest share of endangered tree species. There are a number of contributing factors, including deforestation and climate change, as well as the presence of invasive species and diseases.

Even in South America, which is home to the most diverse tree species on the planet, a quarter of the tree species studied are threatened with extinction - and this number may even increase.

"Although the proportion of tree species reported as threatened in South America – the world leader in tree diversity - is lower (25 percent), this percentage is sure to increase," explains Dr Eimear Nic Lughadha, Senior Research Leader in Conservation Assessment and Analysis at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Scientists explain that the disappearance of trees can have a major impact on the life of the entire planet, as trees directly ensure the survival of many species, including many on the IUCN Red List.

"This makes the growing number of threatened tree species included on the Red List all the more troubling," says Dave Hole, Vice President for Global Solutions at Conservation International’s Moore Center for Science.

However, there is a silver lining to this news - it may give scientists a clearer idea of how best to begin addressing the problem.

"The assessment of all tree species has been a massive undertaking that has taken many years to complete and that needs to be celebrated. It is still ongoing, but we now know where to act to efficiently tackle the extinction crisis hitting the world’s trees," said Jean-Christophe Vié, Director General of Fondation Franklinia, one of the organizations that funded the assessment.

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