title: Extinction debt: a challenge for biodiversity conservation.
abstract: Local extinction of species can occur with a substantial delay following habitat loss or degradation. Accumulating evidence suggests that such extinction debts pose a significant but often unrecognized challenge for biodiversity conservation across a wide range of taxa and ecosystems. Species with long generation times and populations near their extinction threshold are most likely to have an extinction debt. However, as long as a species that is predicted to become extinct still persists, there is time for conservation measures such as habitat restoration and landscape management. Standardized long-term monitoring, more high-quality empirical studies on different taxa and ecosystems and further development of analytical methods will help to better quantify extinction debt and protect biodiversity.
authors: Finnish Environment Institute, Research Programme for Biodiversity, P.O. Box 140, FI-00251 Helsinki, Finland. mikko.kuussaari@ymparisto.fi
authors: Mikko
authors: M
authors: Kuussaari
authors: Riccardo
authors: R
authors: Bommarco
authors: Risto K
authors: RK
authors: Heikkinen
authors: Aveliina
authors: A
authors: Helm
authors: Jochen
authors: J
authors: Krauss
authors: Regina
authors: R
authors: Lindborg
authors: Erik
authors: E
authors: Ockinger
authors: Meelis
authors: M
authors: Pärtel
authors: Joan
authors: J
authors: Pino
authors: Ferran
authors: F
authors: Rodà
authors: Constantí
authors: C
authors: Stefanescu
authors: Tiit
authors: T
authors: Teder
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Zobel
authors: Ingolf
authors: I
authors: Steffan-Dewenter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D053476:Extinction, Biological