Bacteria eradication
When we talk about the different environmental impacts that humans have on Earth and mention the loss of biodiversity, we usually think of the fauna. However, there are also plants that have become extinct both naturally and because of humans. An extinct plant is one that has disappeared from the face of the Earth due to various reasons.
In this article, we will tell you what are the possible reasons for the disappearance of biodiversity and some extinct plant species
Causes of biodiversity decline
We know that the loss of biodiversity on Earth is a problem we face and that gets worse every day. There are many variables that allow biodiversity to flourish. Variables such as the state of the habitat, meteorological conditions, territory, etc. One of the most significant environmental impacts that humans generate in their activities that has a significant impact on biodiversity is the invasion of natural habitats of plants and animals.A habitat is an area where a species lives. If human activities lead to the degradation or destruction of such habitats, it will have a negative impact on the population. The disappearance of its natural habitat means that the species cannot adapt to the environment and dies. If a large number of people die, reproduction will be impaired and little by little they will become different species. Today, this has had an impact on many extinct plants due to human influence.
Types of exterminated flora
It is also necessary to take into account that some extinct species have been eliminated by natural causes. Moreover, nature is not fixed, but constantly evolving. Some species adapt better to different environmental changes, and others worse. Those that do not adapt well eventually die and disappear. There are several categories of extinct flora:
Extinct flora: This plant is extinct in its natural habitat. That is, this does not mean that there are no specimens of this species on the planet, but that there are no individuals in nature. Most are protected by humans in artificial habitats or seed banks.
Plants extinct in their natural habitat: Some plants can even be cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan is that its distribution area is almost all over the planet. Thus, a plant can disappear from a specific ecosystem due to both natural factors and human causes, but it will not disappear worldwide.
Extinct flora: This is the name given to a plant species whose last individual has completely disappeared from the face of the earth. In this case, the species cannot be restored, since there are no individuals both in nature and in artificial environments.
Extinct species
They have been able to re-grow in our soils for various reasons. It should be noted that most of the species that we are going to list and describe have become extinct only in certain countries. Let’s see what these extinct plant species are:
Nesiota: It is a plant commonly known as the St. Helena olive tree. It is a native shrub from the island of the same name, located in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of a large group of plants that became extinct due to the destruction of their habitats. Since they cannot survive in these conditions, they decrease until they disappear.
Paschalococos Spreads: Its common name is Palma de Rapa Nui. It is a plant that belongs to Chile and whose extinction occurred in 1650. At this time, these trees were cut down for canoes. Given the great demand for canoes, these individuals eventually disappeared.
Sophora: It is a shrub that belongs to the group of extinct flora. Specifically, it is an arboreal species that can reach a height of about 3 meters with a trunk of about 50 cm.
Astragalus Algeriensis: This species is a herbaceous plant native to Africa, although it is considered an extinct flora in Spain. It is one of the species that we can find in the sand and is common in Morocco and Tunisia.
Bupleuri Astragalus: It is a plant that comes exclusively from Spain and France and is common in sandy areas. It is one of the most recently extinct plants in our country. It was classified as an extinct species in Spain in 2018.
Araucaria mirabilis: It is a species found in Patagonia. It is a tree that belongs to the genus Conifer and is very abundant on our planet. It has been present on our planet for about 16 billion years.
Other species
We will continue with the list of extinct plant species and the reasons for their disappearance:
Franklinia: It is found in the Georgia region and is one of the plants that have become extinct in the wild. This means that it can only survive in human environments in a cultivated decorative way. You will not be able to find any specimens of this species naturally. It has been naturally extinct since 1803 due to the continuous degradation of its natural habitat.
Normania nava: It is a species in our country, known by the name of Tomatillo de Tenerife. It is a one-meter-high semi-shrub that disappeared due to its complex reproductive biology. This species is a clear example of how some extinct plant species disappeared due to their inability to adapt to the ecosystem.
Laelia gouldiana: It is characterized by showy flowers similar to those of orchids. It is one of the extinct plants in Mexico and is known for its purple petals and dark green leaves. This is a native plant of the state of Hidalgo.
I hope that with this information you can know more about some of the most famous extinct plant species and the reasons for their disappearance.