The Anthropogenic Allee Effect and Species Extinction
Author Information
Author(s): Franck Courchamp, Elena Angulo, Philippe Rivalan, Richard J. Hall, Laetitia Signoret, Leigh Bull, Yves Meinard
Primary Institution: Universite Paris-Sud, Orsay, France
Hypothesis
Human perception of rarity can lead to the extinction of rare species.
Conclusion
The study shows that the human tendency to value rarity can drive rare species towards extinction.
Supporting Evidence
- Human activities can create an anthropogenic Allee effect that drives species to extinction.
- Rarity increases the price of species, leading to greater exploitation.
- The study identifies six types of human activities that can induce an AAE.
Takeaway
People often want rare things, which can make those things even rarer and lead to their extinction.
Methodology
A mathematical model was developed to demonstrate how rarity increases exploitation and drives species to extinction.
Potential Biases
The study may be influenced by the subjective valuation of rarity by humans.
Limitations
Empirical examples of the relationship between price and rarity are scarce.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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