Science and Inquiry discussion

A new study, conducted by Oxford University, due in an upcoming issue of Biological Conservation, has indicated that birds can be used as indicators of the status of many other organisms. Because birds are diverse, highly specialized to their habitats, and easy to study, patterns of bird declines can be extrapolated to other types of species.

Not surprisingly, the study finds that "many groups of living things -- lichens, bugs, moths, fish, plants and so on -- are going extinct at a very similar rate to the birds.

The underlying reason for the similarity of extinction rates in birds and the other living things is that habitat loss affects them in the same way. Our work supports the use of birds to indicate extinction rates in Britain, the USA and globally, and they should now be tried in places such as tropical forests where the bulk of other species will never be recorded."

Read more at Science Daily http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/...

I remember reading somewhere, that birds are survivors of dinosaur extinctions. I wonder how that fits in with this theory, that birds are markers for extinction in other populations?

True, David: what few dinosaurs survived the K-T Event evolved into birds. So when people complain about what a bummer it is that dinosaurs went extinct...they didn't. They're on the sidewalk outside pecking at cigarette butts.

Interesting article, Melissa.