Rising Sea Levels Threaten Biodiversity, Leading to Extinction Risks
A rare species of cactus in Florida, USA, has officially gone extinct due to rising sea levels. This is the first documented plant species in the world to disappear for this reason.
The cactus in the Florida Keys can reach heights of up to 6 meters (Photo: Getty).
Key Largo Cactus (scientific name: Pilosocereus millspaughii) is renowned for its intriguing characteristics, such as reaching heights of up to 6 meters, having creamy yellow flowers, and a slightly spicy garlic-like fragrance.
This species was limited to a small population in the Florida Keys after it was first discovered in 1992.
Despite close monitoring of this cactus species, the encroachment of saltwater due to rising sea levels, combined with soil erosion caused by storms and tides, has placed significant pressure on the last remaining populations.
By 2021, a group of about 150 cactus plants in the area had significantly decreased, leaving only 6 surviving individuals.
A Key Largo cactus in bloom (Photo: Getty).
Jennifer Possley, conservation director at the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, stated that despite the conservation team’s efforts, the rare cactus species continues to die off, with no individuals remaining alive today.
Rising sea levels are considered the number one cause of this species’ extinction. This situation is common, threatening many ecosystems as the human-induced climate change shows no signs of slowing down.
Globally, ocean levels continue to rise daily due to melting ice. Furthermore, warming ocean waters expand, causing their volume to increase continuously.
The result is that many areas that were once habitats for species such as polar bears and penguins are disappearing, leaving them without shelter and food, leading to extinction risks.
