A recent survey report uncovers 9,600 tree species that are standing on the verge of extinction. The report is prepared as a part of the first world database of trees.
A current global survey by the Botanic Gardens Conservation International group or BGCI identified the existence of 60,065 tree species. This is the first time that such huge database of trees is prepared from 500 hundred published sources, according to the Phys.org. The London-based organization BGCI itself represents almost 2,500 botanic gardens.
The survey report indicates Brazil as the number one state with best diverse tree population that includes 8,715 tree species. This Latin country is also the sole habitat of the rare 4,333 species, which means that they don't exist in other parts of the world. The new database explores that 58 percent of the total number of trees belong to the "single country endemics."
Among them, 2,991 tree species exist in Madagascar, and Australia shelters 2,584 species. The numbers clearly indicate that the survey report of the BGCI includes a truly large database. Apart from Brazil, another Latin country that acquires the second position with a diverse population of trees is Colombia.
The database reveals Colombia as the center of 5,776 tree species and the next member is Indonesia with 5,142. The painful fact is only 20,000 tree species have the conservation status out of 60,065. That means a complete assessment of all the trees is a difficult job to do. The said 9,600 species that acquire the threat of extinction belong to the above-mentioned number 20,000.
The London-based organization releases the current database in order to help those people who are working to save the threatened tree species. Conservation of the rare species is the need of the hour to maintain a balanced ecosystem on earth. Trees play a significant role to provide a clean air by arresting the harmful dust particles and smoke through the leaves.
According to the Trafford Council, trees improve the quality of urban life. But, deforestation eliminates many rare and important species. The global database discovers the actual situation with exact numbers. Arctic and Antarctic are the two polar areas that are completely devoid of any tree with the lowest diversity.
Surprisingly, the Nearctic region is also heading to become the member of that lowest diversity. Continuous update of the current database is essential to get a clean picture of the next development. No doubt, the global survey of the BGCI provides the best information about the tree species around the world. Now the human civilization should play the active role to conserve those species.
