extinction vs local extinction vs extirpation etc.

[Michael Gochfeld]

Regardless of ethymological correctness, "extirpation" was once in
widespread use for the elimination of a local population or probably
more often for the elimination of a species from a geographic entity.
Thus a species may be "extirpated" from New Jersey.  It does seem that
"locally extinct" is being used more widely.  Someone once published a
short column (perhaps in Science) suggesting the word "extotion", but it
never took off.
 
"Extirpation" was also used to describe campaigns to eliminate exotic
species although I suppose "elimination" would suffice.
 
M. Gochfeld
 
 
 
 
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