Biocultural aspects of species extinctions

Abstract

Predicting whether a species is likely to go extinct (or not) is one of the fundamental objectives of conservation biology, and extinction risk classifications have become an essential tool for conservation policy, planning and research. This sort of prediction is feasible because the extinction processes follow a familiar pattern of population decline, range collapse and fragmentation, and, finally, extirpation of sub-populations through a combination of genetic, demographic and environmental stochasticity. Though less well understood and rarely quantified, the way in which science and society respond to population decline, extirpation and species extinction can also have a profound influence, either negative or positive, on whether a species goes extinct. For example, species that are highly sought after by collectors and hobbyists can become more desirable and valuable as they become rarer, leading to increased demand and greater incentives for illegal trade – known as the anthropogenic Allee effect. Conversely, species that are strongly linked to cultural identity are more likely to benefit from sustainable management, high public support for conservation actions and fund-raising, and, by extension, may be partially safeguarded from extinction. More generally, human responses to impending extinctions are extremely complex, are highly dependent on cultural and socioeconomic context, and have typically been far less studied than the ecological and genetic aspects of extinction. Here, we identify and discuss biocultural aspects of extinction and outline how recent advances in our ability to measure and monitor cultural trends with big data are, despite their intrinsic limitations and biases, providing new opportunities for incorporating biocultural factors into extinction risk assessment.

Drivers of species knowledge across the Tree of Life

“…More broadly, many species with deeply rooted histories of interactions with humans retain their importance in specific cultural contexts, particularly among indigenous peoples, and are thus more likely to remain salient nowadays. Disrupting these connections can have important biocultural consequences, and negatively affect both the species and the communities that value them (Ladle et al, 2023;Reyes-García et al, 2023). Species with a common name also attracted more scientific and popular interest, matching previous studies (e.g., Vardi et al, 2021).…”

Drivers of species knowledge across the Tree of Life

“…More broadly, many species with deeply-rooted histories of interactions with humans retain their importance in specific cultural contexts, particularly among indigenous peoples, and are thus more likely to remain salient nowadays. Disrupting these connections can have important biocultural consequences, and negatively affect both the species and the communities that value them (Ladle et al 2023; Reyes-Garcia et al 2023).…”

Drivers of species knowledge across the tree of life

“…More broadly, many species with deeply rooted histories of interactions with humans retain their importance in specific cultural contexts, particularly among indigenous peoples, and are thus more likely to remain salient nowadays. Disrupting these connections can have important biocultural consequences, and negatively affect both the species and the communities that value them ( Ladle et al, 2023 ; Reyes-García et al, 2023 ).…”