= Extinction debt
A delayed future loss of <species> caused by past environmental change. Habitat loss or fragmentation can leave surviving populations that are not viable in the long term, so present <species richness> exceeds what the altered system can sustain. The delay provides a potential opportunity for restoration or reconnection before losses are realized.<Habitat destruction and the extinction debt by David Tilman and others>[Abstract: delayed losses following habitat fragmentation]{ref}
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