ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ecological extinction

Ecological extinction is when a type of plant or animal species completely dies out in a particular area. This can happen when there are not enough of them left to sustain a healthy population or when their habitat, or the place they live, disappears or changes so much that they can't survive there anymore. Think of it like when you have a handful of toys, but then your friends come over and take all of them, one by one, until you have none left. When a species goes through ecological extinction, it's like they've lost all their toys and there are no more left for them to play with. This can have a big impact on the ecosystem, or the balance of nature, because that species might have played an important role in the food chain, pollination of plants, or even in controlling pests. So basically, ecological extinction is when a certain type of plants or animals can't survive anymore in the place they used to live, and it can cause some big problems for the environment.