The Importance of Islands for the Protection of Biological and Linguistic Diversity

2015/03/26 by Bernie R. Tershy, Kuo-Wei Shen, Kelly M. Newton +3 · 290 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Biodiversity #Biology #Critically endangered #Cultural Differences and Values #Diversity (politics) #Ecology #Endangered species #Geography #Habitat #Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies #Plant and animal studies #Threatened species

paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/biosci/biv031

published in BioScience 65(6), 592-597 (Oxford University Press)

openalex publication_date 2015/03/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

Islands make up 5.3% of Earth's land area yet maintain an estimated 19% of bird species, 17% of rodents, 17% of flowering plants, and 27% of human languages. Species diversity is disproportionately threatened on islands in relation to the islands’ proportion of both global land area and species, with 61% of all extinct species and 37% of all critically endangered species confined to islands. Languages are disproportionately threatened on islands in relation to land area with 11% of extinct languages and 25% of critically endangered languages on islands. Islands are a priority area for integrated conservation efforts because they have 14 times greater density of critically endangered terrestrial species and 6 times greater density of critically endangered languages than continental areas. Invasive species and habitat loss are the largest threats to island terrestrial species diversity. Proven management actions can reduce these threats, benefiting both local peoples and species diversity on islands.

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