We face a global biodiversity crisis, with species extinctions representing one of the most drastic impacts of man on Earth. Thus, actions to protect species from extinction are urgently needed, particularly in tropical forests, home to the largest part of Earth’s biodiversity. The first step is to identify which species are currently threatened with extinction. Known as “red listing”, species are categorized according to their risk of extinction, which are then used to monitor biodiversity and to prioritize conservation actions. Therefore, “red listing” efforts are crucial for our society, by providing the basic knowledge to help to avoid a sixth mass extinction caused by man.
The central goal of the project THREAT is the assessment of the conservation status of all endemic tree species occurring in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot in South America, home to thousands of tree species. The project asked and answered the following questions: How many tree species occur in the Atlantic Forest? How many of them are endemic? How many are threatened? What can we do and where to conserve them? The project also aimed at creating awareness among the general public about issues related to species extinction.