Enter the Anthropocene—Age of Man
It’s a new name for a new geologic epoch—one defined by our own massive impact on the planet. That mark will endure in the geologic record long after our cities have crumbled.
"ScienceDaily (Mar. 5, 2011) — With the steep decline in populations of many animal species, from frogs and fish to tigers, some scientists have warned that Earth is on the brink of a mass extinction like those that occurred only five times before during the past 540 million years."
For a non - comprehensive list of known currently endangered or extinct animal species today click the button below:
The final known mass extinction is happening right now in the current chapter of our geological history – the Anthropocene. It is in this geological era that the effects of human activity are contributing to global changes in biodiversity and the atmosphere. Moral choices and technological advances are now having deadly impacts on life on our planet.
The climatic changes since the industrial revolution, when man-made machinery began pumping CO2 into the atmosphere, have been dramatic. Before this time, carbon dioxide concentrations were measured to be around 280ppm, whereas now levels of around 390ppm are found.[1] This rise in CO2 is mainly due to the combustion of fossil fuels and has caused an increase in the ‘greenhouse effect’ where heat that would have been lost to space is re-radiated back down on the surface of the Earth, raising temperatures. As a result ice caps and glaciers have been melting causing rising sea levels and a reduction of the overall albedo of the planet, which enhances the warming effect. As a feedback mechanism, over vast periods of time the Earth system to reach a new equilibrium, however the process is slow, and the end result will be a very different world to the one we inhabit now, with many of the species of today unable to exist in such conditions.
Not only have humans caused damage via the burning of fossil fuels, but direct impact from over hunting and destruction of habits have pushed many species to the limit of their physiological limits. The effect of these combined factors were commented on by Roger Lovegrove in his book "Silent Fields" [4] where suggests that humans have accelerated the rate of species extinction by 100 to possibly 1000 times the normal background rate of extinction.
For example, a group of species predicted to be greatly affected by current climate change are many of Australia’s frogs. Rising temperatures means less rainfall, and water is essential for these frogs to breed and reproduce. Numbers of frogs in Australia have dropped in recent years because of the heating of the planet. In addition the polar bears have been directly affected by the climatic changes witnessed over recent decades. Their habitats in the ice have been melting, making hunting and nesting increasingly difficult. [3]
The climatic changes occurring right now are happening at a rate and magnitude greater than the Earth system can immediately compensate for and the future of this chapter is unknown.
References:
[1] Recent Global CO2, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA
[2] "Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age?". BBC News. 10 May 2011.
[3] http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/impacts/species/
[4] Lovegrove, Roger, Silent Fields, Oxford university press 2008
[1] Recent Global CO2, Earth System Research Laboratory, NOAA
[2] "Anthropocene: Have humans created a new geological age?". BBC News. 10 May 2011.
[3] http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/aboutcc/problems/impacts/species/
[4] Lovegrove, Roger, Silent Fields, Oxford university press 2008