die-offs
Sudden population collapses
Die-offs are sudden, widespread deaths within a population of animals or plants.
The term typically describes mass mortality events in wildlife: Fish die-offs contaminated the lake, Bee die-offs threaten agricultural pollination.
Die-offs usually result from disease, environmental toxins, habitat destruction, or climate shifts rather than predation or hunting.
Large-scale species elimination
- population collapseRapid severe decline in numbers
- species lossDisappearance of organism types
- decimationNear-total destruction
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
wipeout · eradication · vanishing · disappearance · extirpation · extermination · biodiversity loss · Permian extinction
mass extinction
Large-scale species elimination
- population collapseRapid severe decline in numbers
- species lossDisappearance of organism types
- decimationNear-total destruction
annihilation · wipeout · eradication · vanishing · disappearance · extirpation · extermination · biodiversity loss · Permian extinction · dodo
population decline
Decreasing number of inhabitants
shrinking · crash · plummet · collapse · thinning · reduction · attrition · winnowing · downturn · slump
die-offsbaby booms
Sudden increases in births
proliferations · irruptions · outbreaks · blooms · swarms
die-offssurvivals
Things that persisted
persistence · steady states · equilibrium · maintenance · continuity
die-offsresurgences
Returns after decline
flourishing · thriving · recoveries · revivals · rebounds