Conservation status
Conservation status
Conservation status (/kənˌsɜːrˈveɪʃən ˈsteɪtəs/) is a term used in the field of biodiversity to describe the likelihood that a species will become extinct. The term is derived from the Latin conservatio meaning "preservation" and status meaning "condition".
Definition
Conservation status is used to quantify the level of threat faced by a species. It is determined by a variety of factors including the number of individuals remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the most recognized organization that assigns conservation status to species.
Categories
The IUCN uses a set of criteria to determine the conservation status of species. These include:
- Extinct - No known individuals remaining
- Extinct in the Wild - Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population outside its historic range
- Critically Endangered - Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
- Endangered - High risk of extinction in the wild
- Vulnerable - High risk of endangerment in the wild
- Near Threatened - Likely to become endangered in the near future
- Least Concern - Lowest risk; does not qualify for a higher risk category
Related Terms
- Biodiversity - The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
- Species - The largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring.
- Endangered Species - A species of animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction.
- Habitat Conservation - A land management practice that seeks to conserve, protect and restore habitat areas for wild plants and animals, especially conservation reliant species.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Conservation status
- Wikipedia's article - Conservation status
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski