Current extinction rates are estimated at
- Acheck_circle
100-1,000× the background rate, often called the 'sixth mass extinction'
- B
Below the background rate, indicating an unusually stable evolutionary period
- C
Approximately equal to the background rate, with no detectable acceleration
- D
Decreasing steadily as conservation efforts offset historical biodiversity losses
Explanation
Habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and overharvesting have driven extinction rates to mass-extinction levels.