Habitat loss: This is one of the leading causes of species extinction. When a species' habitat is destroyed or fragmented, it can lose access to food, shelter, and mates, leading to population decline and eventually extinction. Habitat loss can be caused by activities such as deforestation, urbanization, agriculture, and mining.
Overexploitation: This occurs when a species is hunted, fished, or collected at a rate that exceeds its ability to reproduce and survive. Overexploitation can be caused by commercial activities, such as hunting, fishing, and logging, as well as by subsistence hunting and gathering.
Pollution: Pollution can have a variety of negative effects on species, including causing disease, disrupting their reproductive systems, and altering their habitats. Pollution can be caused by industrial activities, agricultural runoff, sewage discharge, and other human activities.
Climate change: Climate change can cause a species' habitat to change too rapidly for it to adapt, leading to population decline and eventually extinction. Climate change can cause changes in temperature, precipitation, sea level, and other environmental conditions.
Invasive species: Invasive species are non-native species that have been introduced to an area outside their natural range. Invasive species can compete with native species for resources, such as food and habitat, and can also transmit diseases. Invasive species can be introduced through a variety of pathways, such as shipping, trade, and intentional or accidental release.
Predation: Predation is a natural process in which one animal (the predator) hunts and eats another animal (the prey). However, if a predator population becomes too large or if the prey population becomes too small, predation can lead to the extinction of the prey species.
Disease: Disease can spread rapidly through a species' population, causing widespread death and population decline. Disease can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms. Disease can be transmitted through contact with infected individuals, through the environment, or through vectors, such as mosquitoes and ticks.
Genetics: Genetic factors can also contribute to species extinction. For example, a species with a small population size may be more susceptible to genetic drift, which is the random fluctuation of gene frequencies in a population. Genetic drift can lead to the loss of genetic diversity, which can make a species more vulnerable to environmental changes and disease.
Co-extinction: This occurs when one species becomes extinct as a result of the extinction of another species on which it depends. For example, if a plant species becomes extinct, the animal species that rely on that plant for food may also become extinct.