Perhaps even more disturbing is the finding that the general public and even science educators are largely unaware of the threats a biodiversity crisis could pose. More than 50 percent of the science teachers surveyed do not consider mass extinction a current or urgent problem. Only 38 percent of these educators describe themselves as being very familiar with the concept of biodiversity. And while 75 percent of scientists polled feel that society should increase its efforts to prevent further loss of biodiversity, less than 50 percent of the public polled share that sentiment. The panelists noted that biodiversity loss is occurring not just in remote, pristine areas, but in every type of area around the country and the globe.
Scientists are mostly concerned with the permanence of biodiversity loss.
Unlike pollution, ozone depletion, and global warming, biodiversity loss is the one environmental problem that is completely irreversible. In response to the argument that scientists are being alarmist in their warnings about biodiversity loss, the panelists noted that this environmental problem is one that the public can do something about. According to Stein, the public should become more aware of how human activity can threaten biodiversity, for example, by degrading the habitats that species need to survive. He added that invasive non-native species introduced by humans are one of the leading threats to native plants and animals.