Scientists from three research centers in Spain have found a new reason why large African animals are disappearing. These animals, called megaherbivores, weigh over one tonne and include well-known species like elephants and hippos. The research was done by the National Museum of Natural Sciences, the National Research Center on Human Evolution, and the University of Alcalá. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
For a long time, experts thought these big animals were simply more likely to become extinct. They believed megaherbivores were especially vulnerable to environmental changes. However, this new study shows that the real reason for their decline is different. The animals are not dying out faster. Instead, they are not producing new species at the rate they should be. This means fewer different types of megaherbivores are appearing over time.
Megaherbivores play an important role in their environments. They help shape the land and create homes for other animals. When these animals disappear or fail to create new species, it affects the entire ecosystem. The scientists hope their findings will help people understand how to better protect these important animals.
Sources: phys.org
The words in bold are from the article.
| 1. researchers | a. scientists |
| 2. megaherbivores | b. natural environments |
| 3. vulnerable | c. results |
| 4. extinct | d. very large plant-eating animals |
| 5. species | e. easily hurt |
| 6. ecosystems | f. surroundings |
| 7. environments | g. types of animals |
| 8. protection | h. getting fewer |
| 9. findings | i. keeping safe |
| 10. decline | j. no longer existing |
1.a 2.d 3.e 4.j 5.g 6.b 7.f 8.i 9.c 10.h