Final answer:
Extinction reduces biodiversity, disrupting ecosystems and the services they provide, which are critical to human survival and economic activity. Human-induced habitat destruction, over-exploitation of resources, and climate change are primary drivers of this biodiversity loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
Extinction poses a significant threat to Earth's natural capital by irreversibly depleting biological diversity, which is vital for maintaining healthy ecosystems and the services they provide to humanity. The core threats leading to this loss of biodiversity include habitat loss, overharvesting, and the introduction of exotic species, all exacerbated by the growing human population and its consumption patterns. Furthermore, anthropogenic climate change, driven by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, is altering habitats and climate patterns, further threatening species with extinction.
As species vanish, the intricacies of ecosystems, which are dependent on the variety of organisms within them, are compromised. This can lead to a cascade of detrimental effects on ecosystem services that are crucial for human well-being, such as pollination of crops, water purification, and climate regulation. Therefore, preserving biodiversity is not only a moral obligation but is also essential for sustaining the natural systems that humans rely on for survival and economic prosperity.