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UNIT 1: WHERE DO WE STAND? THE STATE OF THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT<br />
019<br />
Known and estimated total numbers of species<br />
known number<br />
of species<br />
estimated total<br />
number of species<br />
Insects 950,000 8,000,000<br />
Fungi 70,000 1,000,000<br />
Arachnids 75,000 750,000<br />
Nematodes 15,000 500,000<br />
Viruses 5,000 500,000<br />
Bacteria 4,000 400,000<br />
Plants 250,000 300,000<br />
Protozoans 40,000 200,000<br />
Algae 40,000 200,000<br />
Molluscs 70,000 200,000<br />
Crustaceans 40,000 150,000<br />
Vertebrates 45,000 50,000<br />
World total (all groups) 1,700,000 12,500,000<br />
Source: WCMC 1992<br />
69<br />
60<br />
95<br />
S<br />
E<br />
C<br />
T<br />
I<br />
O<br />
N<br />
1<br />
Threatened animal species<br />
number<br />
of species<br />
360<br />
320<br />
280<br />
240<br />
200<br />
160<br />
120<br />
80<br />
40<br />
0<br />
33<br />
80<br />
150<br />
59<br />
102<br />
192<br />
mammals 263<br />
birds 353<br />
reptiles 76<br />
amphibians 27<br />
fishes 103<br />
21<br />
20<br />
35<br />
21<br />
26<br />
17 37 56<br />
Latin America and<br />
the Caribbean<br />
critically endangered<br />
endangered<br />
vulnerable<br />
mammals 94<br />
birds 84<br />
14<br />
39<br />
19<br />
41<br />
26<br />
39<br />
reptiles 35<br />
amphibians 27<br />
3<br />
12<br />
20<br />
fishes 190<br />
35<br />
39<br />
116<br />
8 2 17<br />
North America<br />
mammals 23<br />
birds 22<br />
reptiles 8<br />
3<br />
7<br />
13<br />
2<br />
20 4 2<br />
2<br />
amphibians 0<br />
fishes 5<br />
0<br />
West Asia<br />
5<br />
mammals 289<br />
63<br />
63<br />
birds 207<br />
37<br />
30<br />
163<br />
140<br />
reptiles 48<br />
amphibians 17<br />
2<br />
12<br />
34<br />
Africa<br />
4<br />
13<br />
fishes 127<br />
53<br />
27<br />
47<br />
mammals 89<br />
birds 53<br />
7<br />
23<br />
59<br />
6<br />
7<br />
40<br />
reptiles 29<br />
amphibians 12<br />
19<br />
33<br />
52<br />
11 8<br />
10 8 22<br />
Europe and<br />
Central Asia<br />
fishes 104<br />
163<br />
283<br />
366<br />
mammals 515<br />
birds 521<br />
reptiles 104<br />
13<br />
24<br />
67<br />
amphibians 47<br />
8<br />
16<br />
23<br />
Asia and<br />
the Pacific<br />
fishes 216<br />
44<br />
47<br />
125<br />
Source: WCMC/IUCN 1998<br />
• Food;<br />
• Industrial and commercial products such as wood, cotton, jute, rubber<br />
and other resins, wool, hides, etc;<br />
• Wild plants and animals are an important source of drugs, analgesics,<br />
antibiotics, anticoagulants, and antiparasitics. 50% of all prescription<br />
drugs contain natural products;<br />
• The beauty and integrity of natural ecosystems such as mountains and<br />
forests are important tourism resources. In many countries ecosystems<br />
are more valuable as national parks or reserves than when turned into