RANK

ECOSYSTEM

DESCRIPTION

1

Tropical Rainforests

- Deforestation rates estimated at 10 million hectares per year globally (Food and Agriculture Organization).

- Approximately 137 plant species are lost every day (UN Environment Programme).

2

Coral Reefs

- Over 50% of coral reefs have been lost since the 1870s (The Nature Conservancy).

- Predictions indicate that 90% of coral reefs could be lost by 2050 due to climate change (IPCC).

3

Wetlands

- Approximately 54% of wetlands have been lost globally (Ramsar Convention).

- Wetland degradation threatens 1 billion people reliant on their ecosystem services (UN).

4

Grasslands

- Over 70% of the world's grasslands have been converted to agricultural land (World Resources Institute).

- Grassland bird populations have declined by 40% since 1966 (North American Breeding Bird Survey).

5

Mangroves

- Mangrove deforestation occurs at a rate of about 1% per year (Global Mangrove Alliance).

- An estimated 50% of mangrove forests have been lost globally in the past 100 years (FAO).

6

Temperate Forests

- About 70% of temperate forests in North America have been logged (The Nature Conservancy).

- Temperate forest habitat loss has affected bird species by 50% in some regions (Cornell Lab of Ornithology).

7

Alpine Ecosystems

- Up to 40% of alpine plant species are threatened due to climate change (European Environment Agency).

- Permafrost thawing is predicted to affect 25% of Arctic ecosystems by 2100 (NASA).

8

Savannas

- Approximately 50% of savannas have been altered by agriculture and urban development (IUCN).

- Species like the African elephant are increasingly endangered due to habitat loss (WWF).

9

Arctic Tundra

- Arctic temperatures are rising at almost twice the global average (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).

- Thawing permafrost is leading to a decline in species such as the caribou (Wildlife Conservation Society).

10

Freshwater Ecosystems

- Over 80% of freshwater species are in decline (World Wildlife Fund).

- Habitat degradation affects 70% of freshwater fish populations globally (International Union for Conservation of Nature).