One-Third of Tropical African Plants Are Threatened with Extinction

About one-third of tropical African plants are threatened with extinction, according to a new study cited by the BBC.

Much of West Africa, Ethiopia, as well as vast areas of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are the regions found to be most at risk, that will lose about 40 percent of their plant diversity

Risky species include trees, shrubs, herbs and woody vines. Threats include deforestation, population growth and climate change, scientists say.

"Biodiversity provides countless benefits to humans and losing diversity jeopardises our future," said lead researcher Dr Thomas Couvreur of the French National Institute for Sustainable Development.

Loss of biodiversity will be particularly problematic in tropical Africa, "a region of incredible diversity but with major social and political challenges and expected rapid population growth over the next decades", he added.