Santa Cruz de Tenerife 7 Mar. (Europa Press) –
A research team spearheaded by the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (IPNA-CSIC), in partnership with scientists from Portugal, Germany, Belgium, and various Spanish institutions, has conducted the most comprehensive review of plant extinctions in Macaronesia, a region that includes the archipelagos of the Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira, and Cabo Verde.
One of the findings of this study, published in the journal ‘Global Change Biology’, emphasises the presence of a significant area of recent extinctions in coastal regions.
This phenomenon appears to have emerged since the 1960s, a decade characterised by the surge of tourism and urban development, as highlighted by the CSIC in a statement.
The research team documented 168 extinction events, with 13 classified as global extinctions and 155 as local or regional extinctions.
This indicates that numerous species have vanished from certain islands, although they continue to exist in other island or continental regions.
Raúl Orihuela-Rivero, a researcher at the IPNA-CSIC and one of the principal authors of the article, states that “the data reveals that extinction rates in Macaronesia surpass the natives by an unprecedented magnitude”, suggesting “a significant impact of human activity associated with the volcanic nature of this area.”
The study has identified various factors that heighten the risk of extinction, which include, among others, the presence of invasive herbivorous mammals, an increasing human population, and the age of the islands.
Moreover, specific characteristics of certain species render them more susceptible to extinction.
For example, this applies to plants that are endemic to an archipelago, woody species, those that are pollinated by vertebrates, those dispersed by animals (zoocoria), or species capable of fixing nitrogen.
Reassessing the economic model
Jairo Patiño, another researcher at IPNA-CSIC and a major co-author of the study, underscores that the existence of such critical areas, particularly in coastal zones, “highlights the necessity to thoroughly reassess the current economic model, not only from the perspective of conserving biodiversity, but also in terms of the quality of life for local citizens.”
The researchers caution that it is crucial to enhance the protection of the most vulnerable species and improve oversight of native flora.
To accomplish this, they suggest, among other actions, updating the regional red lists and implementing specific conservation programmes for at-risk species.
Additionally, mass tourism has been identified as a significant threat to these ecosystems; therefore, to mitigate its impact, the study recommends fostering sustainable tourism practices, regulating access to sensitive areas, and reinforcing the protection of coastal and mountainous habitats.
Another effective method for restoring ecosystems proposed by the study is the reintroduction of species that are no longer present, and in some cases, even suggesting the possibility of “de-extincting” globally extinct plants through the use of preserved material from herbariums.
