According to estimates by Mora et al. (2011), there are approximately 8.7 million terrestrial species and 2.2 million oceanic species. The authors note that these estimates are strongest for eukaryotic organisms and likely represent the lower bound of prokaryote diversity. Other estimates include: 220,000 vascular plants, estimated using the species-area relation method 0.7-1 million marine species 10–30 million insects; (of some 0.9 million we know today) 5–10 million bacteria; 1.5-3 million fungi, estimates based on data from the tropics, long-term non-tropical sites and molecular studies that have revealed cryptic speciation. Some 0.075 million species of fungi had been documented by 2001; 1 million mites The number of microbial species is not reliably known, but the Global Ocean Sampling Expedition dramatically increased the estimates of genetic diversity by identifying an enormous number of new genes from near-surface plankton samples at various marine locations, initially over the 2004–2006 period. The findings may eventually cause a significant change in the way science defines species and other taxonomic categories.
According to estimates by Mora et al (2011) there are approximately 87 million terrestrial species and 22 million oceanic species The authors note that these estimates are strongest for eukaryotic organisms and likely represent the lower bound of prokaryote diversity Other estimates include 220000 vascular plants estimated using the species-area relation method 07-1 million marine species 10–30 million insects; (of some 09 million we know today) 5–10 million bacteria; 15-3 million fungi estimates based on data from the tropics long-term non-tropical sites and molecular studies that have revealed cryptic speciation Some 0075 million species of fungi had been documented by 2001; 1 million mites The number of microbial species is not reliably known but the Global Ocean Sampling Expedition dramatically increased the estimates of genetic diversity by identifying an enormous number of new genes from near-surface plankton samples at various marine locations initially over the 2004–2006 period The findings may eventually cause a significant change in the way science defines species and other taxonomic categories