How many documented species are there

The study team used a method called linear regression to calculate the number of Earth's species. But Bebber thinks this method is the wrong one for the data, and that the team should have used a technique known as ordinal regression. Overall, formally categorizing a new organism is a lot more complicated than discovering one, study co-author Worm said. Scientists must compare their specimen to museum samples, analyze its DNA, and complete reams of paperwork. Most scientists "will describe dozens of species in their lifetime, if they're really lucky.

Unfortunately, extinction rates have accelerated to ten to a hundred times their natural level, Worm added. See "Extinctions Overestimated by Percent? The information to be gained when new species are discovered "is nature's library, and we've only begun to decipher the first ten books," Worm said.

All rights reserved. By contrast, the number of newly discovered species continues to rise sharply. As a result, the true number of species could be much higher or lower than 8. Nature's Library Disappearing Overall, formally categorizing a new organism is a lot more complicated than discovering one, study co-author Worm said.

Share Tweet Email. Read This Next Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London. Animals Wild Cities Wild parakeets have taken a liking to London Love them or hate them, there's no denying their growing numbers have added an explosion of color to the city's streets.

India bets its energy future on solar—in ways both small and big. The scientists say they do not expect their calculations to mark the end of this line of inquiry, and are looking to peers to refine methods and conclusions. Follow Richard on Twitter. Species heading faster to poles. The economic benefits of nature. Nature target 'will not be met'. Biodiversity: Out of sight, out of mind.

Science intends to tag all life. The black-capped woodnymph of Colombia was identified as recently as Mora: "With the clock of extinction now ticking faster for many species, I believe speeding the inventory of Earth's species merits high scientific and societal priority.

Renewed interest in further exploration and taxonomy could allow us to fully answer this most basic question: What lives on Earth? Materials provided by Census of Marine Life. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Science News. Tittensor, Sina Adl, Alastair G. Simpson, Boris Worm. About 8. ScienceDaily, 24 August Census of Marine Life. How many species on Earth? Retrieved November 10, from www. Discovering new species is important as it helps to protect them. Advanced search.

Skip to main content Thank you for visiting nature. Download PDF. Subjects Biodiversity. You have full access to this article via your institution. Thousands of new species are discovered each year, but it will still take hundreds of years to find the rest. Credit: [Clockwise from top left] Y. The catalogue of life. References 1 Mora, C. Article Google Scholar 2 May, R.

Article Google Scholar Download references. Authors Lee Sweetlove View author publications. Rights and permissions Reprints and Permissions. About this article Cite this article Sweetlove, L. Copy to clipboard.