More than 14,000 species of invertebrate lost habitat during Australia’s 2019-20 bushfires, according to a post-fire analysis that has recommended a doubling of the number of species listed as threatened.
The research, prepared for the federal government by scientists with the national environmental science program (NESP), found the number of insects, spiders, worms and other invertebrates affected by the disaster was much greater than the tally of vertebrates impacted.
But that fact was largely overlooked due to a focus on more popular animals such as the koala.
The NESP study warns the true figure is likely to be far higher than 14,000 because so many Australian invertebrates are either undescribed or have no data available through which to measure declines.
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...habitat-in-black-summer-bushfires-study-finds
The research, prepared for the federal government by scientists with the national environmental science program (NESP), found the number of insects, spiders, worms and other invertebrates affected by the disaster was much greater than the tally of vertebrates impacted.
But that fact was largely overlooked due to a focus on more popular animals such as the koala.
The NESP study warns the true figure is likely to be far higher than 14,000 because so many Australian invertebrates are either undescribed or have no data available through which to measure declines.
https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp...habitat-in-black-summer-bushfires-study-finds