At the rate we are going, it is not a question of if the turtles will disappear or not, but when they will. Nor is it unnecessary to wonder if there will be a world without them: we already know that other species, such as bees, are essential for life on Earth. What would a world without turtles be like? What would I change?
Turtles are extremely hardy and successful animals that have been on earth for about 200 million years. However, this longevity is today threatened by the work of the human being.
Let’s think about it for a minute. Turtles are used as pets, far from their natural habitat, which is also abused, polluted and modified by climate change. Much is said about the devastating effects of the possible extinction of the bees, but no one stops to think what would happen if the turtles disappeared. Read on to find out.
Source: The Vanguard
In a study published in the journal Bioscience, a group of scientists raises the hypothetical consequences of the disappearance of turtles, taking into account their role in the global ecosystem.
Whit Gibbons, Professor of Ecology at the University of Georgia and co-author of the study, explains: “Our purpose has been to inform the public of the many essential ecological roles that turtles perform on a global scale and to raise awareness of the plight of these iconic animals.” .
Scientists say that turtles contribute to desert environments, wetlands, freshwater environments, and marine ecosystems, and as US Geological Survey scientist Jeffrey Lovich points out, “Their decline may have negative effects on other species, including humans, who may not be visible now.”
Source: Verdecora
The decline of turtles may have unforeseen and unpredictable consequences for other species, including humans.
Since turtles have the ability to be herbivorous, carnivorous, or omnivorous, they influence the food chain of other species. Likewise, turtles are sometimes responsible for dispersing the seeds of certain plants, since not all seeds are digested by their digestive tract.
Josh Ennen, a researcher at the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute, says that “the ecological importance of turtles, especially freshwater ones, is underappreciated and generally little studied by ecologists.” He concludes by saying that their disappearance could lead to the malfunctioning of other ecosystems and the structure of biological communities around the world.
The time to act is now, we must not allow the turtles to become another victim of humanity’s ignorance and apathy.
Font:
The vanguard