Almost 600 plant species have been wiped from the planet in the past 250 years, according to a new study
The research -- published Monday in Nature, Ecology & Evolution journal -- found that 571 plant species have disappeared from the wild worldwide, and that plant extinction is occurring up to 500 times faster than the rate it would without human intervention.For comparison, the researchers said animal extinction is occurring at least 1,000 times faster than the normal rate of extinction, however the report notes that researchers believe the plant extinction rate has been underestimated.
The endangered acacia tree in Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. The business of pulp, palm oil and wood are causing the deforestation of Sumatra and contributing to the extinction of many of the world's rare species.The issue is bigger than plants -- the authors said plant extinction had knock-on effects, including on humans.
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