Question

The rate at which species go extinct without human interference is called ___.

• A. Extinction rate
• B. Massive extinction rate
• C. Background extinction rate
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Background extinction rate

There are many reasons why species go extinct. Natural disasters can cause mass extinctions. Apart from this, species go extinct at a natural rate, this is called background extinction, wherein species are subjected to natural selection and evolution, causing some species to go extinct and resulting in the survival of the fittest. These are natural reasons for the loss of biodiversity. Apart from these, the major reasons for extinction today are man-made; these include habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation, invasion of alien species and co-extinctions.