modern extinction event

[poulton@xxxxxxxxxx]

What are the conclusions if we look at groups that ARE represented 
abundantly in the fossil record?, say bivalves or cephalopods, brachiopods 
or corals in the marine realm; gymnosperms in the nonmarine. Are there 
modern crises underway? Is there any comprehensive analysis of this sort, 
that would provide a standard against which to judge the modern 
extinctions that seem to be of main concern within the terrestrial (and 
flying) vertebrates and insects? It seems that the human-caused 
extinctions are of critical importance within the area of dominant human 
influence, less important elsewhere. Perhaps it is not a valid technique 
to make comparisons with the ancient extinctions.