Short answer: Because extinction doesn't happen in a vacuum. When one species dies out, it can have further reaching implications for the ecosystem that species lived in. Case in point: Coral reefs. You've probably heard a lot about coral reefs dying. But it's not always spelled out that these deaths are more than just a loss of biodiversity. During a panel on Tuesday, Peter Hildebrand—an atmospheric scientist with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center—did a nice job of putting this issue into stark relief.
To read the full, original article click on this link: CWA: Why should you care about species extinction? - Boing Boing
Author: Maggie Koerth-Baker
