Researchers sound alarm after reporting first extinction caused by rising sea levels: 'We are on the front lines of biodiversity loss'

Extreme weather events like drought and flooding can have a huge impact on plant life, leading to death, disease, and drowning. 

However, another impact of global heating has affected one particular plant species in Florida. 

What's happening?

As ScienceDaily reported, the Key Largo tree cactus has been the subject of a local extinction event in the Florida Keys. 

What was once a thriving population of around 150 stems was reduced to just six stem fragments by 2021, and scientists were forced to intervene and take those samples for off-site cultivation.

Rising sea levels had resulted in saltwater intrusions, increasing the salinity of the water that Key Largo plants would typically rely on to survive. That came in conjunction with soil depletion following hurricanes, high tides, and overeating from herbivores, which led to the plant's local demise. 

Increased saltwater levels also meant salt-tolerant plants started to grow more, further indicating the changing chemistry of the water was at least partly responsible for a shift in the ecosystem. 

"We are on the front lines of biodiversity loss," said George Gann, executive director for the Institute for Regional Conservation and co-author on a study regarding the local extinction of the Key Largo tree cactus, per ScienceDaily. 

"Our research in South Florida over the past 25 years shows that more than one-in-four native plant species are critically threatened with regional extinction or are already extirpated due to habitat loss, over collecting, invasive species and other drivers of degradation. More than 50 are already gone, including four global extinctions."

Why is Florida's loss of the Key Largo tree cactus concerning?

The loss of plants and animals from ecosystems can have knock-on effects, given the sensitive nature of these networks. 

While it's not yet clear what impact the absence of Key Largo tree cacti will have, scientists noted that more herbivores began to eat the plant. The cacti could store water that would have been vital for animal survival, with increased saltwater making usual freshwater sources unsuitable for animal consumption.

What's being done to save the Key Largo tree cactus?

Scientists have salvaged the remaining plants and are growing them in greenhouses or controlled outdoor settings. 

"We have tentative plans with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to replant some in the wild," said director of regional conservation at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Jennifer Possley, who was the study's lead author.

At a much wider level, it's worth considering how human-caused global heating can have an effect on plant species like the Key Largo tree cactus. For example, rising sea levels were a factor in populations dying in the Florida Keys. Sea-level rise is encouraged by increasing global temperatures, which melt ice caps. What's more, water expands under heat, bumping up water levels higher. 

With that in mind, reducing the planet-warming pollution we produce daily can help slow the rate of increasing temperatures and discourage sea-level rises. 

Collective action can make a huge difference. Consider a community solar scheme in your local area, allowing residents to access pollution-free energy that will also help to cut utility bills. 

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