Biologists assess `sixth extinction': The Toronto Star

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The discussion highlights the alarming rate at which plant species, along with their medicinal properties, are vanishing, often before they can be studied or understood. This phenomenon is referred to as the "sixth extinction," a term coined by John Arnason, a biology professor at the University of Ottawa. The conversation notes that this decline in biodiversity is not a new concern, referencing works by other authors like Leakey and Eldredge, who have previously addressed the issue. There is a call for increased involvement from biologists in collecting DNA samples from these endangered species, although concerns about funding for such efforts are raised. The overarching theme emphasizes the urgent need to address the loss of biodiversity and the potential cures for diseases that may be lost forever.
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The bad news is that the world's nearly countless plants — and the medicines they contain — are disappearing even more quickly than they can be located and studied. In most cases, we'll never even know that they existed or what lethal human diseases they might have cured.

Welcome to the "sixth extinction.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1066517109005&call_pageid=968332188774&col=968350116467
 
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Welcome to the "sixth extinction."

That's the chilling term used by John Arnason, a professor of biology at the University of Ottawa, to describe the steady decline of the planet's rich trove of biological species, both plants and animals.

Makes it sound like it's just Dr. Arnason's brainchild! More on the same topic...

Leakey wrote a whole book about it in 1995...
http://www.well.com/user/davidu/sixthextinction.html

Eldedge in 2001...
http://www.actionbioscience.org/newfrontiers/eldredge2.html

National Geographic in 1999...
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/9902/fngm/
 
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We can only hope that more biologists will get involved with collecting samples - DNA - from these quickly disappearing species. I doubt this effort is well funded though.
 

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