The five periods in the history of Earth that had the highest levels of extinction were all linked to climate change, fossil evidence shows.

The findings support fears that wild-life will be driven to extinction in the next few centuries in numbers to rival the death of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Higher temperatures found to be associated with four of the mass extinctions were at about the same level that is forecast by climate change scientists for the next 100 to 200 years.

During each of the mass extinction events in the past 525 million years at least half of the animal and plant species were estimated to have been wiped out.

Estimates of the effect of global warming on animals and plants alive today suggest that between 20 and 30 per cent will die out if temperatures rise by 1.5 to 2.5C. Such a rise is thought by climate scientists to be likely before the middle of the century and extinction rates would be expected to rise with temperatures.

By the end of the century temperature rises of up to 6.4C (11.5F) are forecast unless the carbon dioxide emissions that are blamed for driving global warming are curbed.

Scientists looking at the fossil record have found that similar changes in temperature took place at the same time as each of the prehistoric mass extinctions. Of the five mass extinctions, the most recent was the Cretaceous-Tertiary, 65 million years ago, when temperatures were about 4C higher than today. A greenhouse climate, probably in conjunction with a meteorite strike, was thought by researchers to have played a role in killing off the dinosaurs.

The most devastating extinction was at the end of the Permian period, 251 million years ago, when an estimated 95 per cent of marine species and 70 per cent of land species were killed off. Temperatures were estimated to be about 6C higher than today. Four of the five extinctions were associated with greenhouse climates and only the earliest was linked to lower temperatures, when vast numbers of marine creatures died as glaciers formed and sea levels dropped.

Peter Mayhew, from the University of York, said: “Our results provide the first clear evidence that global climate may explain substantial variation in the fossil record in a simple and consistent manner.

“If our results hold for current warming - the magnitude of which is comparable with the long-term fluctuations in Earth climate – they suggest that extinctions will increase.”

Tim Benton, of the University of Leeds, said: “When you look at the short-term, ten-million-year fluctuations we’ve shown there is quite a strong correlation between when things warm up and an increase in extinction rates.”

Professor Benton said that the outlook was bleak for many species, such as specialist plants in the Cairngorms that will die out in a warmer climate, but that evolution happened so fast that the extinctions would be followed by a rapid influx of new species. Butterflies, for example, may develop stronger wing muscles to reach landscapes emptied of competitor species, and eventually grow so different that they can be classed as new species.

The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society, concluded: “In the current transition from an icehouse to a greenhouse world, Earth history may help us to estimate future effects on biodiversity.

“Our results from the fossil record endorse those of ecological models which demonstrate that expected future warming will adversely affect biodiversity.”

Times Recommends

• What makes the perfect mum?
• To keep me stress-free, no more awareness days, please
• What do lottery winners buy?