Extinctions vs. discoveries

by **Melissa, manager** Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:48 pm

Each year, while hundreds of species are believed to become extinct, thousands of new species are being discovered. With so many new discoveries, does this suggest that a few hundred extinctions each year may not be detrimental to ecosystems, and could the world's ecosystems continue to thrive with so many other animals still surviving?

According to the UN Environment Programme, the Earth is in the midst of a mass extinction of life. Scientists estimate that 150-200 species of plant, insect, bird and mammal become extinct every 24 hours. This is nearly 1,000 times the "natural" or "background" rate and, say many biologists, is greater than anything the world has experienced since the vanishing of the dinosaurs nearly 65m years ago.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/un-environment-programme-_n_684562.html

Each year, scientists discover an average of 15,000 new species, usually ones that are highly endangered. But can this trend of discovery continue, and are we reaching a limit on how many species actually exist in the world?

http://news.discovery.com/animals/new-species-111213.htm