Although islands make up less than 7% of the Earth’s surface, they harbour a disproportionate share of the planet’s biodiversity.
Although islands make up less than 7% of the Earth’s surface, they harbour a disproportionate share of the planet’s biodiversity. Out of the roughly 12,000 known reptile species, around one-third are confined to islands - including iconic species such as the Galapagos tortoise and Komodo Dragon. These isolated ecosystems act as natural laboratories of evolution, where species adapt and diversify in unique environments.
Yet the very isolation that fosters this uniqueness also makes island reptiles more vulnerable. A new global assessment, published today in Conservation Science and Practice, found that 30% of island dwelling reptiles are threatened with extinction (compared with 12.1% of reptiles overall). Despite this, only 6.7% of reptile-focused research publications since 1960 have studied them.
Dr Ricardo Rocha, Associate Professor in Conservation Science (Department of Biology, University of Oxford) and senior author of the study, said: ‘Reptiles are keystone species for island ecosystems. For example, on Madeira Island - my birthplace - wall lizards are everywhere, chasing insects, pollinating plants and eating fruits. If island reptiles are allowed disappear, this would have huge impacts on many other species.’
Read More at: University of Oxford
Photo Credit: karepet via Pixabay
