India, Jan. 29 -- Genetic diversity among mammals, birds and marine species is declining worldwide, according to an analysis by an international team of scientists.

The landmark study, spanning more than three decades (1985-2019), examined 628 species of animals, plants and fungi across terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The findings, published in the journal Nature, involved researchers from Australia, United Kingdom, Sweden, Poland, Spain, Greece and China.

The analysis revealed that two-thirds of the studied populations are experiencing a decline in genetic diversity, with less than half receiving any conservation management.

The majority of species studied were animals (84.7 per cent), including vertebrates (59.2 per cent) and inve...