A devastating collapse in global biodiversity is imminent, scientists say, warning hundreds of species may not survive.
An international team have published a major study in the journal Nature, saying we must make urgent changes to our approach to pollution and climate change, which are placing major stress on our planet.
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Failure to act quickly and decisively would greatly increase the risk of "unprecedented and irrevocable species loss", particularly in the tropics.
"The fate of the tropics will be largely determined by what happens elsewhere in the planet," said lead author Prof Jos Barlow of Lancaster University.
Among the species under imminent threat are the African Bush Elephant, tree frogs, and many different kinds of birds.
The paper, titled 'The future of hyperdiverse tropical ecosystems', is the first high-level report on the state of all four of the world's tropical ecosystems - tropical forests, savannahs, lakes and rivers, and coral reefs.
While the tropics cover roughly 40 percent of the planet's surface, they are the home to more than three quarters of all species.
The study shows that humans will also be impacted, with the tropics providing important resources for fishing and agriculture.
The scientists are calling for an international response, which Dr Joice Ferreira said was vital to help avoid the loss of tropical biodiversity.
"Five years ago biologists expected to be the first to find a species, now they hope not to be the last," Prof Barlow added.
Newshub.
