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Mutillod C, Buisson É, Mahy G, Jaunatre R, Bullock JM, Tatin L, Dutoit T. Ecological restoration and rewilding: two approaches with complementary goals? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:820-836. [PMID: 38346335 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
As we enter the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) and address the urgent need to protect and restore ecosystems and their ecological functions at large scales, rewilding has been brought into the limelight. Interest in this discipline is thus increasing, with a large number of conceptual scientific papers published in recent years. Increasing enthusiasm has led to discussions and debates in the scientific community about the differences between ecological restoration and rewilding. The main goal of this review is to compare and clarify the position of each field. Our results show that despite some differences (e.g. top-down versus bottom-up and functional versus taxonomic approaches) and notably with distinct goals - recovery of a defined historically determined target ecosystem versus recovery of natural processes with often no target endpoint - ecological restoration and rewilding have a common scope: the recovery of ecosystems following anthropogenic degradation. The goals of ecological restoration and rewilding have expanded with the progress of each field. However, it is unclear whether there is a paradigm shift with ecological restoration moving towards rewilding or vice versa. We underline the complementarity in time and in space of ecological restoration and rewilding. To conclude, we argue that reconciliation of these two fields of nature conservation to ensure complementarity could create a synergy to achieve their common scope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémentine Mutillod
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Élise Buisson
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Gregory Mahy
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
- Université de Liège, Biodiversité et Paysage, 27 Avenue Maréchal Juin, Gembloux, 5030, Belgique
| | - Renaud Jaunatre
- Université Grenoble Alpes, INRAE, UR LESSEM, St-Martin-d'Hères, F-38402, France
| | - James M Bullock
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, OX10 8BB, Wallingford, UK
| | - Laurent Tatin
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
| | - Thierry Dutoit
- Avignon Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie IMBE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, site Agroparc BP 61207, Avignon Cedex 09, 84911, France
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2
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Ordonez A, Gill JL. Unravelling the functional and phylogenetic dimensions of novel ecosystem assemblages. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230324. [PMID: 38583470 PMCID: PMC10999274 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Human activities are causing taxonomic rearrangements across ecosystems that often result in the emergence of novel communities (assemblies with no historical representative). It is commonly assumed that these changes in the taxonomic makeup of ecosystems also inevitably lead to changes in other aspects of biodiversity, namely functional and phylogenetic diversity. However, this assumption is not always valid, as the changes in functional and phylogenetic composition resulting from taxonomic shifts depend on the level of redundancy in the evaluated community. Therefore, we need improved theoretical frameworks to predict when we can expect coordinated or decoupled responses among these three facets of biodiversity. To advance this understanding, we discuss the conceptual and methodological issues that complicate establishing a link between taxonomic rearrangements driven by human activities and the associated functional and phylogenetic changes. Here, we show that is crucial to consider the expected changes in functional and phylogenetic composition as communities are reshaped owing to human drivers of biodiversity loss to forecast the impacts of novel assemblages on ecosystem functions and the services they provide to humanity. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Ordonez
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Jacquelyn L. Gill
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5751 Murray Hall, Room 100 Orono, ME 04469, USA
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, 5751 Murray Hall, Room 100 Orono, ME 04469, USA
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3
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Davoli M, Svenning JC. Future changes in society and climate may strongly shape wild large-herbivore faunas across Europe. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230334. [PMID: 38583466 PMCID: PMC10999261 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Restoring wild communities of large herbivores is critical for the conservation of biodiverse ecosystems, but environmental changes in the twenty-first century could drastically affect the availability of habitats. We projected future habitat dynamics for 18 wild large herbivores in Europe and the relative future potential patterns of species richness and assemblage mean body weight considering four alternative scenarios of socioeconomic development in human society and greenhouse gas emissions (SSP1-RCP2.6, SSP2-RCP4.5, SSP3-RCP7.0, SSP5-RCP8.5). Under SSP1-RCP2.6, corresponding to a transition towards sustainable development, we found stable habitat suitability for most species and overall stable assemblage mean body weight compared to the present, with an average increase in species richness (in 2100: 3.03 ± 1.55 compared to today's 2.25 ± 1.31 species/area). The other scenarios are generally unfavourable for the conservation of wild large herbivores, although under the SSP5-RCP8.5 scenario there would be increase in species richness and assemblage mean body weight in some southern regions (e.g. + 62.86 kg mean body weight in Balkans/Greece). Our results suggest that a shift towards a sustainable socioeconomic development would overall provide the best prospect of our maintaining or even increasing the diversity of wild herbivore assemblages in Europe, thereby promoting trophic complexity and the potential to restore functioning and self-regulating ecosystems. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ecological novelty and planetary stewardship: biodiversity dynamics in a transforming biosphere'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Davoli
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO) & Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies ‘Charles Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Dell'Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy
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Poquérusse J, Brown CL, Gaillard C, Doughty C, Dalén L, Gallagher AJ, Wooller M, Zimov N, Church GM, Lamm B, Hysolli E. Assessing contemporary Arctic habitat availability for a woolly mammoth proxy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9804. [PMID: 38684726 PMCID: PMC11058768 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60442-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Interest continues to grow in Arctic megafaunal ecological engineering, but, since the mass extinction of megafauna ~ 12-15 ka, key physiographic variables and available forage continue to change. Here we sought to assess the extent to which contemporary Arctic ecosystems are conducive to the rewilding of megaherbivores, using a woolly mammoth (M. primigenius) proxy as a model species. We first perform a literature review on woolly mammoth dietary habits. We then leverage Oak Ridge National Laboratories Distributive Active Archive Center Global Aboveground and Belowground Biomass Carbon Density Maps to generate aboveground biomass carbon density estimates in plant functional types consumed by the woolly mammoth at 300 m resolution on Alaska's North Slope. We supplement these analyses with a NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment dataset to downgrade overall biomass estimates to digestible levels. We further downgrade available forage by using a conversion factor representing the relationship between total biomass and net primary productivity (NPP) for arctic vegetation types. Integrating these estimates with the forage needs of woolly mammoths, we conservatively estimate Alaska's North Slope could support densities of 0.0-0.38 woolly mammoth km-2 (mean 0.13) across a variety of habitats. These results may inform innovative rewilding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Camille Gaillard
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Chris Doughty
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Svante Arrhenius Väg 20C, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Matthew Wooller
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Nikita Zimov
- North-East Science Station, Pacific Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chersky, Russia
| | - George M Church
- Colossal Biosciences Inc, Austin, TX, 78701, USA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Ben Lamm
- Colossal Biosciences Inc, Austin, TX, 78701, USA.
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Trepel J, le Roux E, Abraham AJ, Buitenwerf R, Kamp J, Kristensen JA, Tietje M, Lundgren EJ, Svenning JC. Meta-analysis shows that wild large herbivores shape ecosystem properties and promote spatial heterogeneity. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:705-716. [PMID: 38337048 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02327-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Megafauna (animals ≥45 kg) have probably shaped the Earth's terrestrial ecosystems for millions of years with pronounced impacts on biogeochemistry, vegetation, ecological communities and evolutionary processes. However, a quantitative global synthesis on the generality of megafauna effects on ecosystems is lacking. Here we conducted a meta-analysis of 297 studies and 5,990 individual observations across six continents to determine how wild herbivorous megafauna influence ecosystem structure, ecological processes and spatial heterogeneity, and whether these impacts depend on body size and environmental factors. Despite large variability in megafauna effects, we show that megafauna significantly alter soil nutrient availability, promote open vegetation structure and reduce the abundance of smaller animals. Other responses (14 out of 26), including, for example, soil carbon, were not significantly affected. Further, megafauna significantly increase ecosystem heterogeneity by affecting spatial heterogeneity in vegetation structure and the abundance and diversity of smaller animals. Given that spatial heterogeneity is considered an important driver of biodiversity across taxonomic groups and scales, these results support the hypothesis that megafauna may promote biodiversity at large scales. Megafauna declined precipitously in diversity and abundance since the late Pleistocene, and our results indicate that their restoration would substantially influence Earth's terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Trepel
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- Department of Conservation Biology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany.
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - Elizabeth le Roux
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Andrew J Abraham
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Robert Buitenwerf
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Johannes Kamp
- Department of Conservation Biology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jeppe A Kristensen
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Melanie Tietje
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Erick J Lundgren
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark.
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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6
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Andersen LH, Ransborg C, Pertoldi C, Pagh S, Bahrndorff S. Can reintroduction of beavers improve insect biodiversity? JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 337:117719. [PMID: 36948148 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ecosystem engineering species, such as beavers, may help the restoration of biodiversity. Through the building of dams and lodges and altering the natural hydrology, beavers change the habitat structure and create multiple habitats that facilitate a wide variety of other organisms including terrestrial invertebrate communities. Here we study the effect of beaver reintroduction in Klosterheden in Denmark on biomass of flying invertebrates and diversity of moths. Further, aerial photos were used to assess riparian structure and productivity using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Our findings show that the presence of beavers affected flying invertebrate biomass, but that this was dependent on time of the year. Further, a strong effect of presence of beavers was found on diversity of moths. The results also show an increase in vegetation productivity and structural heterogeneity at sites with presence of beavers. Overall, our results demonstrate the importance of beavers as important ecosystem engineers that affect invertebrate species composition and abundance, as well as riparian structure and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Line Holm Andersen
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg East, DK-9220, Denmark; Stockholm University, Institute for Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Svante Arrhenius Väg 20 A, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Christian Ransborg
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg East, DK-9220, Denmark; Aalborg Zoo, Mølleparkvej 63, Aalborg C, DK-9000, Denmark
| | - Cino Pertoldi
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg East, DK-9220, Denmark; Aalborg Zoo, Mølleparkvej 63, Aalborg C, DK-9000, Denmark
| | - Sussie Pagh
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg East, DK-9220, Denmark
| | - Simon Bahrndorff
- Aalborg University, Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, Aalborg East, DK-9220, Denmark
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Gordon CE, Greve M, Henley M, Bedetti A, Allin P, Svenning JC. Elephant rewilding affects landscape openness and fauna habitat across a 92-year period. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2810. [PMID: 36694991 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Trophic rewilding aims to promote biodiverse self-sustaining ecosystems through the restoration of ecologically important taxa and the trophic interactions and cascades they propagate. How rewilding effects manifest across broad temporal scales will determine ecosystem states; however, our understanding of post-rewilding dynamics across longer time periods is limited. Here we show that the restoration of a megaherbivore, the African savannah elephant (Loxodonta africana), promotes landscape openness (i.e., various measures of vegetation composition/complexity) and modifies fauna habitat and that these effects continue to manifest up to 92 years after reintroduction. We conducted a space-for-time floristic survey and assessment of 17 habitat attributes (e.g., floristic diversity and cover, ground wood, tree hollows) across five comparable nature reserves in South African savannah, where elephants were reintroduced between 1927 and 2003, finding that elephant reintroduction time was positively correlated with landscape openness and some habitat attributes (e.g., large-sized tree hollows) but negatively associated with others (e.g., large-sized coarse woody debris). We then indexed elephant site occurrence between 2006 and 2018 using telemetry data and found positive associations between site occurrence and woody plant densities. Taken alongside the longer-term space-for-time survey, this suggests that elephants are attracted to dense vegetation in the short term and that this behavior increases landscape openness in the long term. Our results suggest that trophic rewilding with elephants helps promote a semi-open ecosystem structure of high importance for African biodiversity. More generally, our results suggest that megafauna restoration represents a promising tool to curb Earth's recent ecological losses and highlights the importance of considering long-term ecological responses when designing and managing rewilding projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E Gordon
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World and Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michelle Greve
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michelle Henley
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystem Research Unit, School of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- Elephants Alive, Hoedspruit, South Africa
- Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Paul Allin
- Transfrontier Africa, Hoedspruit, South Africa
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World and Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
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8
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Pérez-Barbería FJ, Gómez JA, Gordon IJ. Legislative hurdles to using traditional domestic livestock in rewilding programmes in Europe. AMBIO 2023; 52:585-597. [PMID: 36580270 PMCID: PMC9849629 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-022-01822-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Rewilding is a restoration strategy that aims to return anthropogenic ecosystems to a "self-organized" state, by reinstating trophic complexity through disturbance (e.g. predation, herbivory), dispersal and connectivity. In depopulated areas of Europe, lite versions of rewilding, that maintain but minimize the management of rewilding species (e.g. predators, large herbivores) is gaining support. Livestock rewilding (LR) is a form of rewilding-lite, that uses livestock landraces as keystone species in the restoration of herbivory (the functional integrity of ecosystems) offering ecosystem services, such as ecotourism and the sale of livestock population surpluses, that can mitigate the economic and social effects of rural depopulation. Many challenges remain to implementing LR, including (i) more empirical evidence is required of the feasibility of LR across a variety of habitats and conditions, and (ii) understanding the hurdles that legislation poses for LR, the latter being the aim of this study. To accomplish this, we reviewed the EU legislation on environmental protection, animal health and welfare, identification and traceability, and ownership and civil responsibility, to assess how this might apply to LR. Although there is no specific EU legislation prohibiting LR, the review indicates that it is not clear what legislation applies to LR, as LR's status lies between that of livestock and wild species. As such the existing legislation can be a serious impediment to the development of LR programmes. We highlight the needs for a legal definition, and status of LR species and their ownership. We propose ways to adapt this legislation to support the application of LR programmes in abandoned areas of EU, for example, by using legal exceptions intended for livestock under extensive animal farming systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. Javier Pérez-Barbería
- Biodiversity Research Institute (University of Oviedo Spanish Research Council Principado de Asturias), 33600 Mieres, Asturias Spain
- Department of Agroforestry Science and Technology and Genetics, Institute of Regional Development, Game and Livestock Resources Unit, University of Castilla-La Mancha, IREC, 02071 Albacete, Spain
| | - J. Angel Gómez
- Consejería Agricultura, Agua y Desarrollo Rural Castilla-La Mancha, Oficina Comarcal Agraria, C/Brunete, 21, La Roda, 02630 Albacete, Spain
| | - Iain J. Gordon
- Australian National University | ANU Fenner School of Environment & Society, Canberra, ACT Australia
- 5 Lawson Street, Mysterton, QLD 4812 Australia
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9
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Lamperty T, Chiok WX, Khoo MDY, Amir Z, Baker N, Chua MAH, Chung YF, Chua YK, Koh JJ, Lee BPY, Lum SKY, Mendes CP, Ngiam J, ODempsey A, Png KGC, Sophie AR, Tan L, Teo R, Thomas N, Tianjiao L, Tze‐Ming BL, Loo AHB, Wardle DA, Luskin MS. Rewilding in Southeast Asia: Singapore as a case study. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Therese Lamperty
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
- Department of Biology University of Washington Seattle Washington, DC USA
| | - Wen Xuan Chiok
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Max D. Y. Khoo
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Zachary Amir
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | | | - Marcus A. H. Chua
- Department of Biological Science National University of Singapore Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum National University of Singapore Singapore
| | - Yi Fei Chung
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
- School of Applied Science, Republic Polytechnic Singapore
| | - Yen Kheng Chua
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Joshua J.‐M. Koh
- Department of Biological Science National University of Singapore Singapore
| | | | - Shawn K. Y. Lum
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Calebe P. Mendes
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- Natural Sciences & Science Education National Institute of Education Singapore
| | - Jonathan Ngiam
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | | | - Kenny G. C. Png
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Adia R. Sophie
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | - Lorraine Tan
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Robert Teo
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Noel Thomas
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | - Li Tianjiao
- National Parks Board Singapore Botanic Gardens Singapore
| | | | | | - David A. Wardle
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- Asian School of the Environment Nanyang Technological University Singapore
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
- Forest Global Earth Observatory—Center for Tropical Forest Science Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Seattle Washington, DC USA
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
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10
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The metamicrobiome: key determinant of the homeostasis of nutrient recycling. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:183-195. [PMID: 36328807 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The metamicrobiome is an integrated concept to study carbon and nutrient recycling in ecosystems. Decomposition of plant-derived matter by free-living microbes and fire - two key recycling pathways - are highly sensitive to global change. Mutualistic associations of microbes with plants and animals strongly reduce this sensitivity. By solving a fundamental allometric trade-off between metabolic and homeostatic capacity, these mutualisms enable continued recycling of plant matter where and when conditions are unfavourable for the free-living microbiome. A diverse metamicrobiome - where multiple plant- and animal-associated microbiomes complement the free-living microbiome - thus enhances homeostasis of ecosystem recycling rates in variable environments. Research into metamicrobiome structure and functioning in ecosystems is therefore important for progress towards understanding environmental change.
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11
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Kissling WD, Shi Y, Koma Z, Meijer C, Ku O, Nattino F, Seijmonsbergen AC, Grootes MW. Laserfarm – A high-throughput workflow for generating geospatial data products of ecosystem structure from airborne laser scanning point clouds. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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12
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Reintroduction biology and the IUCN Red List: The dominance of species of Least Concern in the peer-reviewed literature. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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13
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Shin Y, Midgley GF, Archer ERM, Arneth A, Barnes DKA, Chan L, Hashimoto S, Hoegh‐Guldberg O, Insarov G, Leadley P, Levin LA, Ngo HT, Pandit R, Pires APF, Pörtner H, Rogers AD, Scholes RJ, Settele J, Smith P. Actions to halt biodiversity loss generally benefit the climate. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:2846-2874. [PMID: 35098619 PMCID: PMC9303674 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The two most urgent and interlinked environmental challenges humanity faces are climate change and biodiversity loss. We are entering a pivotal decade for both the international biodiversity and climate change agendas with the sharpening of ambitious strategies and targets by the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Within their respective Conventions, the biodiversity and climate interlinked challenges have largely been addressed separately. There is evidence that conservation actions that halt, slow or reverse biodiversity loss can simultaneously slow anthropogenic mediated climate change significantly. This review highlights conservation actions which have the largest potential for mitigation of climate change. We note that conservation actions have mainly synergistic benefits and few antagonistic trade-offs with climate change mitigation. Specifically, we identify direct co-benefits in 14 out of the 21 action targets of the draft post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, notwithstanding the many indirect links that can also support both biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. These relationships are context and scale-dependent; therefore, we showcase examples of local biodiversity conservation actions that can be incentivized, guided and prioritized by global objectives and targets. The close interlinkages between biodiversity, climate change mitigation, other nature's contributions to people and good quality of life are seldom as integrated as they should be in management and policy. This review aims to re-emphasize the vital relationships between biodiversity conservation actions and climate change mitigation in a timely manner, in support to major Conferences of Parties that are about to negotiate strategic frameworks and international goals for the decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guy F. Midgley
- School for Climate Studies, Department of Botany and ZoologyStellenbosch UniversityStellenboschSouth Africa
| | - Emma R. M. Archer
- Department of GeographyGeo‐Informatics and MeteorologyUniversity of PretoriaHatfield, PretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Almut Arneth
- Atmospheric Environmental ResearchKarlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)Garmisch‐PartenkirchenGermany
| | | | - Lena Chan
- International Biodiversity Conservation DivisionNational Parks BoardSingaporeSingapore
| | | | - Ove Hoegh‐Guldberg
- School of Biological Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef StudiesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Gregory Insarov
- Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy for SciencesMoscowRussia
| | - Paul Leadley
- Laboratoire d’Ecologie Systématique EvolutionUniversité Paris‐Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTechOrsayFrance
| | - Lisa A. Levin
- Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and Integrative Oceanography DivisionScripps Institution of OceanographyUniversity of CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Hien T. Ngo
- Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United NationsRomeItaly
- Intergovernmental Science‐Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)BonnGermany
| | - Ram Pandit
- Centre for Environmental Economics and PolicyUWA School of Agriculture and EnvironmentThe University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Global Center for Food, Land and Water ResourcesResearch Faculty of AgricultureHokkaido UniversitySapporoHokkaidoJapan
| | - Aliny P. F. Pires
- Department of Ecology – IBRAGRio de Janeiro State University (UERJ)Rio de JaneiroBrazil
| | - Hans‐Otto Pörtner
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine ResearchBremerhavenGermany
| | | | - Robert J. Scholes
- Global Change InstituteUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Josef Settele
- Department of Conservation Biology and Social‐Ecological SystemsHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZHalleGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Pete Smith
- Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenUK
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14
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Boyce P, Bhattacharyya J, Linklater W. The need for formal reflexivity in conservation science. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2022; 36:e13840. [PMID: 34623701 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Conservation issues are often complicated by sociopolitical controversies that reflect competing philosophies and values regarding natural systems, animals, and people. Effective conservation outcomes require managers to engage myriad influences (social, cultural, political, and economic, as well as ecological). The contribution of conservation scientists who generate the information on which solutions rely is constrained if they are unable to acknowledge how personal values and disciplinary paradigms influence their research and conclusions. Conservation challenges involving controversial species provide an opportunity to reflect on the paradigms and value systems that underpin the discipline and practice of conservation science. Recent analyses highlight the ongoing reliance on normative values in conservation. We frame our discussion around controversies over feral horses (Equus ferus caballus) in the Canadian West and New Zealand and suggest that a lack of transparency and reflexivity regarding normative values continues to prevent conservation practitioners from finding resilient conservation solutions. We suggest that growing scrutiny and backlash to many normative conservation objectives necessitates formal reflexivity methods in conservation biology research, similar to those required of researchers in social science disciplines. Moreover, given that much conservation research and action continues to prioritize Western normative values regarding nature and conservation, we suggest that adopting reflexive methods more broadly is an important step toward more socially just research and practice. Formalizing such methods and requiring reflexivity in research will not only encourage reflection on how personal and disciplinary value systems influence conservation work but could more effectively engage people with diverse perspectives and values in conservation and encourage more novel and resilient conservation outcomes, particularly when dealing with controversial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Boyce
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Jonaki Bhattacharyya
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Wayne Linklater
- Department of Environmental Studies, California State University, Sacramento, California, USA
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15
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Functional representativeness and distinctiveness of reintroduced birds and mammals in Europe. Sci Rep 2022; 12:4081. [PMID: 35260728 PMCID: PMC8904635 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07991-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Reintroduction, the human-mediated movement of organisms to re-establish locally extinct populations, has become a popular conservation tool. However, because reintroductions often focus on local or national conservation issues, their contribution to the conservation of biodiversity at large scale remains unclear. While taxonomic biases have already been identified in reintroduction programs at regional scales, studies have stressed the need to account for other facets of biodiversity when assessing the relevance of the allocation of conservation efforts. In particular, it may be very fruitful to discriminate if and how such taxonomic biases may influence the functional complementarity of reintroduction targets, and to which extent reintroduction practitioners may have focused on species performing more singular functions than others. Here, we investigate the diversity of functional traits supported by reintroduced species of terrestrial birds and mammals in Europe. For each taxonomic group, we explored the functional representativeness of reintroduction targets at the European scale, i.e., whether species involved in reintroduction programs collectively represent the range of functional trait variation observed in the regional assemblage. Because additional conservation value could have been given by practitioners to species performing singular functions, we also measured the functional distinctiveness of reintroduced species. We found that reintroductions of birds did not focus on functionally distinct species, and that the subset of reintroduced birds is representative of the functional diversity at a continental scale. However, reintroductions of mammals involved more functionally distinct species than expected, even though reintroduced mammals are not collectively representative of the functional diversity of the continental assemblage.
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16
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Rewilding by Wolf Recolonisation, Consequences for Ungulate Populations and Game Hunting. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020317. [PMID: 35205183 PMCID: PMC8869524 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Humans extirpated the wolf Canis lupus from many regions of Europe. Today, the wolf is returning to many of these areas, and with it, people’s opposition due to its predatory habits on, among others, ungulate game species. Based on existing data on wolf prey selection, kill rates and territory size, we extrapolated the results from central Sweden and Poland to southern Sweden, where wolf recolonization has not yet occurred and conservation conflicts with hunters are expected. Thus, we calculated the proportion of moose Alces alces, roe deer Capreolus capreolus, red deer Cervus elaphus, fallow deer Dama dama and wild boar Sus scrofa that would be killed by wolves in the municipalities of southern Sweden if wolf recolonization occurs. We found that the current system of five ungulate species in southern Sweden could potentially support a wolf density two to four times higher than in the current wolf distribution in central Sweden, which are mainly inhabited by roe deer and moose. With this type of research, we can anticipate and work to ameliorate the social unrest and expected conservation conflicts that may arise once wolves or other large carnivore species recolonize areas of Europe that are returning to the wild. Abstract The ongoing recolonisations of human-transformed environments in Europe by large carnivores like the wolf Canis lupus means that conservation conflicts could re-surface, among other reasons, due to predation on ungulate game species. We estimated the effect of wolves on ungulate species using data on wolf prey selection, kill rates and territory size to build a hypothetical case of future expansion. We extrapolated results on predation from the current wolf distribution in central Sweden and eastern Poland to the eventual wolf recolonisation of southern Sweden. We then calculated the proportion of five ungulate game species killed annually by wolves, and the ratio between the predicted annual predation by wolves given future colonization and the number of ungulates currently harvested by hunters. Results showed that wolf recolonization in southern Sweden would have a minor impact on the estimated population densities of red deer Cervus elaphus, fallow deer Dama dama and wild boar Sus scrofa, but is likely to lead to a significant reduction in human captures of moose Alces alces and roe deer Capreolus capreolus. The current five-ungulate species system in southern Sweden suggests a potential for two to four times higher wolf density than the two-ungulate species system in the northern part of their current distribution. Management and conservation of recolonizing large carnivores require a better understanding of the observed impact on game populations under similar ecological conditions to ameliorate conservation conflicts and achieve a paradigm of coexistence. Integrating these predictions into management is paramount to the current rewilding trend occurring in many areas of Europe or North America.
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17
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18
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Zhong Z, Li X, Smit C, Li T, Wang L, Aschero V, Vázquez D, Ritchie M, Cushman JH, Wang D. Large herbivores facilitate a dominant grassland forb via multiple indirect effects. Ecology 2022; 103:e3635. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Zhong
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Xiaofei Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences/Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Soil Resources in the Commodity Grain Bases in Jilin Province, Jilin Agricultural University Changchun Jilin China
| | - Christian Smit
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Conservation Ecology Group University of Groningen CC Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Tianyun Li
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Ling Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station Northeast Normal University Changchun China
| | - Valeria Aschero
- Argentine Institute for Nivology, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences, CONICET & National University of Cuyo, Av. Ruiz Leal s/n Mendoza Argentina
- Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences National University of Cuyo, Padre Jorge Contreras 1300 Mendoza Argentina
| | - Diego Vázquez
- Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences National University of Cuyo, Padre Jorge Contreras 1300 Mendoza Argentina
- Argentine Institute for Dryland Research, CONICET & National University of Cuyo, Av. Ruiz Leal s/n Mendoza Argentina
| | - Mark Ritchie
- Department of Biology Syracuse University Syracuse New York USA
| | - J. Hall Cushman
- Department of Natural Resources & Environmental Science University of Nevada Nevada USA
| | - Deli Wang
- Institute of Grassland Science, Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education/Jilin Songnen Grassland Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station Northeast Normal University Changchun China
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19
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Fløjgaard C, Pedersen PBM, Sandom CJ, Svenning J, Ejrnæs R. Exploring a natural baseline for large‐herbivore biomass in ecological restoration. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Fløjgaard
- Department of Ecoscience Section for Biodiversity and Conservation Aarhus University Rønde Denmark
| | - Pil Birkefeldt Møller Pedersen
- Department of Biology Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Center for Landscape and Climate Research University of Leicester Leicester UK
| | | | - Jens‐Christian Svenning
- Department of Biology Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity Department of Biology Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Rasmus Ejrnæs
- Department of Ecoscience Section for Biodiversity and Conservation Aarhus University Rønde Denmark
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20
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Villar N, Medici EP. Large wild herbivores slow down the rapid decline of plant diversity in a tropical forest biodiversity hotspot. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nacho Villar
- Department of Aquatic Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Emília Patrícia Medici
- Lowland Tapir Conservation Initiative Institute for Ecological Research Campo Grande Brazil
- School of Environmental Conservation and Sustainability Nazaré Paulista Brazil
- International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival CommissionTapir Specialist Group Campo Grande Brazil
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21
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Roman J. The benefits of disturbance. Science 2021; 374:256-257. [PMID: 34648323 DOI: 10.1126/science.abm2257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Roman
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05477, USA
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22
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Becker JA, Hutchinson MC, Potter AB, Park S, Guyton JA, Abernathy K, Americo VF, Conceiçāo A, Kartzinel TR, Kuziel L, Leonard NE, Lorenzi E, Martins NC, Pansu J, Scott WL, Stahl MK, Torrens KR, Stalmans ME, Long RA, Pringle RM. Ecological and behavioral mechanisms of density‐dependent habitat expansion in a recovering African ungulate population. ECOL MONOGR 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Justine A. Becker
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, 82072, USA
| | - Matthew C. Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Arjun B. Potter
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Shinkyu Park
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Jennifer A. Guyton
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Kyler Abernathy
- Exploration Technology Lab National Geographic Society Washington D.C. 20036 USA
| | - Victor F. Americo
- Department of Scientific Services Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
| | - Anagledis Conceiçāo
- Department of Scientific Services Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
| | - Tyler R. Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Brown University Providence Rhode Island 02912 USA
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society Brown University Providence Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Luca Kuziel
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Naomi E. Leonard
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Eli Lorenzi
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
| | - Nuno C. Martins
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Maryland College Park Maryland 20742 USA
| | - Johan Pansu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
- Station Biologique de Roscoff UMR 7144 CNRS‐Sorbonne Université Roscoff France
- CSIRO Ocean & Atmosphere Lucas Heights New South Wales Australia
| | - William L. Scott
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Bucknell University Lewisburg Pennsylvania 17837 USA
| | - Maria K. Stahl
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Kai R. Torrens
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
| | - Marc E. Stalmans
- Department of Scientific Services Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Sofala Mozambique
| | - Ryan A. Long
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho 83844 USA
| | - Robert M. Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Princeton University Princeton New Jersey 08544 USA
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23
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Mata JC, Buitenwerf R, Svenning JC. Enhancing monitoring of rewilding progress through wildlife tracking and remote sensing. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253148. [PMID: 34242225 PMCID: PMC8270134 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Defaunation is a global threat to biodiversity that can be counteracted through trophic rewilding, a restoration strategy that promotes self-regulating ecosystems through active reintroductions or passive management. In order to estimate success in restoration initiatives, progress of the rewilding projects is measured and monitored. However, a spatially explicit understanding of rewilding and rewilding potential in a rewilding site has been absent so far. We present a novel approach for monitoring rewilding progress that focuses on a spatially explicit estimate of progress and ecological integrity within rewilding initiatives. This framework uses habitat classification of the site and tracking data of the reintroduced animals, to model their habitat selection. Through this we measure and map realized and potential rewilding. We operationalize the framework in an ongoing rewilding project in the Iberá Wetlands, Corrientes, Argentina. The majority of areas (76%) predicted to be occupied by reintroduced fauna were only predicted to be selected by one species. Of the four species in the rewilding project, only the giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) filled the majority of its potential distribution, whereas pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) and lowland tapir (Tapirus terrestris) filled less than 23% of theirs. After rewilding we found a 10% increase in the proportion of the study area with high ecological integrity. Through this case study, we showed that this framework can be used to assess the spatial progress of a rewilding site. By incorporating wildlife tracking and satellite-based remote sensing, we are integrating a spatial component to monitoring of rewilding projects that should lead to more detailed understanding of the progress of rewilding. Applying this framework would facilitate decision-making for practitioners and inform species management plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Carolina Mata
- Department of Biology, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Robert Buitenwerf
- Department of Biology, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Department of Biology, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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24
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Wells HBM, Crego RD, Opedal ØH, Khasoha LM, Alston JM, Reed CG, Weiner S, Kurukura S, Hassan AA, Namoni M, Ekadeli J, Kimuyu DM, Young TP, Kartzinel TR, Palmer TM, Pringle RM, Goheen JR. Experimental evidence that effects of megaherbivores on mesoherbivore space use are influenced by species' traits. J Anim Ecol 2021; 90:2510-2522. [PMID: 34192343 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The extinction of 80% of megaherbivore (>1,000 kg) species towards the end of the Pleistocene altered vegetation structure, fire dynamics and nutrient cycling world-wide. Ecologists have proposed (re)introducing megaherbivores or their ecological analogues to restore lost ecosystem functions and reinforce extant but declining megaherbivore populations. However, the effects of megaherbivores on smaller herbivores are poorly understood. We used long-term exclusion experiments and multispecies hierarchical models fitted to dung counts to test (a) the effect of megaherbivores (elephant and giraffe) on the occurrence (dung presence) and use intensity (dung pile density) of mesoherbivores (2-1,000 kg), and (b) the extent to which the responses of each mesoherbivore species was predictable based on their traits (diet and shoulder height) and phylogenetic relatedness. Megaherbivores increased the predicted occurrence and use intensity of zebras but reduced the occurrence and use intensity of several other mesoherbivore species. The negative effect of megaherbivores on mesoherbivore occurrence was stronger for shorter species, regardless of diet or relatedness. Megaherbivores substantially reduced the expected total use intensity (i.e. cumulative dung density of all species) of mesoherbivores, but only minimally reduced the expected species richness (i.e. cumulative predicted occurrence probabilities of all species) of mesoherbivores (by <1 species). Simulated extirpation of megaherbivores altered use intensity by mesoherbivores, which should be considered during (re)introductions of megaherbivores or their ecological proxies. Species' traits (in this case shoulder height) may be more reliable predictors of mesoherbivores' responses to megaherbivores than phylogenetic relatedness, and may be useful for predicting responses of data-limited species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry B M Wells
- Lolldaiga Hills Research Programme, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,Space for Giants, Nanyuki, Kenya
| | - Ramiro D Crego
- National Zoo and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Conservation Ecology Center, Front Royal, VA, USA
| | | | - Leo M Khasoha
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Program in Ecology, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | - Jesse M Alston
- Program in Ecology, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.,Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS), Görlitz, Germany
| | - Courtney G Reed
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Sarah Weiner
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Program in Ecology, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Duncan M Kimuyu
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Natural Resources, Karatina University, Karatina, Kenya
| | - Truman P Young
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Plant Sciences and Ecology Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tyler R Kartzinel
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Todd M Palmer
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Jacob R Goheen
- Mpala Research Centre, Nanyuki, Kenya.,Program in Ecology, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
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25
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Rewilding Lite: Using Traditional Domestic Livestock to Achieve Rewilding Outcomes. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13063347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The vision of rewilding is to return ecosystems to a “natural” or “self-willed” state with trophic complexity, dispersal (and connectivity) and stochastic disturbance in place. The concept is gaining traction, particularly in Europe where significant land abandonment has taken place in recent years. However, in reality, the purest form of rewilding (Rewilding Max) is constrained by a number of context-specific factors whereby it may not be possible to restore the native species that form part of the trophic structure of the ecosystem if they are extinct (for example, mammoths, Mammuthus spp., aurochs, Bos taurus primigenius). In addition, populations/communities of native herbivores/predators may not be able to survive or be acceptable to the public in small scale rewilding projects close to areas of high human density or agricultural land. Therefore, the restoration of natural trophic complexity and disturbance regimes within rewilding projects requires careful consideration if the broader conservation needs of society are to be met. Here we highlight the importance of herbivory as a key factor in rewilding. We argue that the use of the suite of livestock species, and in particular traditional breeds, offers the opportunity, under both land sharing/sparing strategies, to reinstate a more “natural” form of herbivory but still retain the option for management interventions (Rewilding Lite). It will even be possible to gain economic returns (ecotourism, sale of livestock products) from these systems, which will make them more acceptable to state and private landowners. We develop our case based on the advantages of using landraces versus de-domestication strategies, and on the implementation of eco-shepherding herbivory as a restoration tool in fine mosaics of agriculture/natural patches. If this approach is adopted, then larger areas can be given over to conservation, because of the potential broader benefits to society from these spaces and the engagement of farmers in practices that are closer to their traditions.
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Gordon IJ, Manning AD, Navarro LM, Rouet-Leduc J. Domestic Livestock and Rewilding: Are They Mutually Exclusive? FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.550410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human influence extends across the globe, from the tallest mountains to the deep bottom of the oceans. There is a growing call for nature to be protected from the negative impacts of human activity (particularly intensive agriculture); so-called “land sparing”. A relatively new approach is “rewilding”, defined as the restoration of self-sustaining and complex ecosystems, with interlinked ecological processes that promote and support one another while minimising or gradually reducing human intervention. The key theoretical basis of rewilding is to return ecosystems to a “natural” or “self-willed” state with trophic complexity, dispersal (and connectivity) and stochastic disturbance in place. However, this is constrained by context-specific factors whereby it may not be possible to restore the native species that formed part of the trophic structure of the ecosystem if they are extinct (e.g., mammoths, Mammuthus spp., aurochs, Bos primigenius); and, populations/communities of native herbivores/predators may not be able to survive or be acceptable to the public in small scale rewilding projects close to areas of high human density. Therefore, the restoration of natural trophic complexity and disturbance regimes within rewilding projects requires careful consideration if the broader conservation needs of society are to be met. In some circumstances, managers will require a more flexible deliberate approach to intervening in rewilding projects using the range of tools in their toolbox (e.g., controlled burning regimes; using domestic livestock to replicate the impacts of extinct herbivore species), even if this is only in the early stages of the rewilding process. If this approach is adopted, then larger areas can be given over to conservation, because of the potential broader benefits to society from these spaces and the engagement of farmers in practises that are closer to their traditions. We provide examples, primarily European, where domestic and semi-domestic livestock are used by managers as part of their rewilding toolbox. Here managers have looked at the broader phenotype of livestock species as to their suitability in different rewilding systems. We assess whether there are ways of using livestock in these systems for conservation, economic (e.g., branded or certified livestock products) and cultural gains.
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Jessen MT, Kaarlejärvi E, Olofsson J, Eskelinen A. Mammalian herbivory shapes intraspecific trait responses to warmer climate and nutrient enrichment. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:6742-6752. [PMID: 33020977 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Variation in intraspecific traits is one important mechanism that can allow plant species to respond to global changes. Understanding plant trait responses to environmental changes such as grazing patterns, nutrient enrichment and climate warming is, thus, essential for predicting the composition of future plant communities. We measured traits of eight common tundra species in a fully factorial field experiment with mammalian herbivore exclusion, fertilization, and passive warming, and assessed how trait responsiveness to the treatments was associated with abundance changes in those treatments. Herbivory exhibited the strongest impact on traits. Exclusion of herbivores increased vegetative plant height by 50% and specific leaf area (SLA) by 19%, and decreased foliar C:N by 11%; fertilization and warming also increased height and SLA but to a smaller extent. Herbivory also modulated intraspecific height, SLA and foliar C:N responses to fertilization and warming, and these interactions were species-specific. Furthermore, herbivory affected how trait change translated into relative abundance change: increased height under warming and fertilization was more positively related to abundance change inside fences than in grazed plots. Our findings highlight the key role of mammalian herbivory when assessing intraspecific trait change in tundra and its consequences for plant performance under global changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Theresa Jessen
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Halle, Germany
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Elina Kaarlejärvi
- Research Centre for Ecological Change, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Johan Olofsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Umea University, Umea, Sweden
| | - Anu Eskelinen
- Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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Neves JMM, Perez A, Fabré NN, Pereira RJ, Mott T. Integrative taxonomy reveals extreme morphological conservatism in sympatric
Mugil
species from the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic. J ZOOL SYST EVOL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzs.12421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessika M. M. Neves
- Laboratório de Biologia Integrativa Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da SaúdeUniversidade Federal de Alagoas Maceió Brazil
| | - Alfredo Perez
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Peixes e Pesca Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da SaúdeUniversidade Federal de Alagoas Maceió Brazil
| | - Nidia Noemi Fabré
- Laboratório de Ecologia, Peixes e Pesca Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da SaúdeUniversidade Federal de Alagoas Maceió Brazil
| | - Ricardo J. Pereira
- Division of Evolutionary Biology Faculty of Biology II Ludwig‐Maximilians‐Universität München Planegg‐Martinsried Germany
| | - Tamí Mott
- Laboratório de Biologia Integrativa Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da SaúdeUniversidade Federal de Alagoas Maceió Brazil
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Kua ZX, Stella JC, Farrell JM. Local disturbance by muskrat, an ecosystem engineer, enhances plant diversity in regionally‐altered wetlands. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zi Xun Kua
- Department of Sustainable Resources Management College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse New York13210USA
| | - John C. Stella
- Department of Sustainable Resources Management College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse New York13210USA
| | - John M. Farrell
- Department of Environmental Forest Biology College of Environmental Science and Forestry State University of New York 1 Forestry Drive Syracuse New York13210USA
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30
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Mittelman P, Kreischer C, Pires AS, Fernandez FAS. Agouti reintroduction recovers seed dispersal of a large‐seeded tropical tree. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Mittelman
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Catharina Kreischer
- Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Alexandra S. Pires
- Departamento de Ciências Ambientais Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro Seropédica Brazil
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31
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Thulin CG, Röcklinsberg H. Ethical Considerations for Wildlife Reintroductions and Rewilding. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:163. [PMID: 32318586 PMCID: PMC7146822 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.00163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The recovery of many populations of large carnivores and herbivores in major parts of Europe and North America offers ecosystem services and opportunities for sustainable utilization of wildlife. Examples of services are hunting, meat, and skin, along with less invasive utilization such as ecotourism and wildlife spotting. An increasing number of studies also point out the ecosystem function, landscape engineering, and cascading effects of wildlife as values for human existence, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem resilience. Within this framework, the concept of rewilding has emerged as a means to add to the wilderness through either supplementary release of wildlife species already present or reintroduction of species formerly present in a certain area. The latter involves translocation of species from other geographical areas, releases from captivity, feralization, retro-breeding, or de-domestication of breeds for which the wild ancestor is extinct. While all these initiatives aim to reverse some of the negative human impacts on life on earth, some pose challenges such as conflicts of interest between humans and wildlife in, for example, forestry, agriculture, traffic, or disease dynamics (e.g., zoonosis). There are also welfare aspects when managing wildlife populations with the purpose to serve humans or act as tools in landscape engineering. These welfare aspects are particularly apparent when it comes to releases of animals handled by humans, either from captivity or translocated from other geographical areas. An ethical values clash is that translocation can involve suffering of the actual individual, while also contributing to reintroduction of species and reestablishment of ecological functions. This paper describes wildlife recovery in Europe and North America and elaborates on ethical considerations raised by the use of wildlife for different purposes, in order to find ways forward that are acceptable to both the animals and humans involved. The reintroduction ethics aspects raised are finally formulated in 10 guidelines suggested for management efforts aimed at translocating wildlife or reestablishing wilderness areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl-Gustaf Thulin
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Helena Röcklinsberg
- Department of Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
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Sandom CJ, Middleton O, Lundgren E, Rowan J, Schowanek SD, Svenning JC, Faurby S. Trophic rewilding presents regionally specific opportunities for mitigating climate change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190125. [PMID: 31983340 PMCID: PMC7017765 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Large-bodied mammalian herbivores can influence processes that exacerbate or mitigate climate change. Herbivore impacts are, in turn, influenced by predators that place top-down forcing on prey species within a given body size range. Here, we explore how the functional composition of terrestrial large-herbivore and -carnivore guilds varies between three mammal distribution scenarios: Present-Natural, Current-Day and Extant-Native Trophic (ENT) Rewilding. Considering the effects of herbivore species weakly influenced by top-down forcing, we quantify the relative influence keystone large-herbivore guilds have on methane emissions, woody vegetation expansion, fire dynamics, large-seed dispersal, and nitrogen and phosphorus transport potential. We find strong regional differences in the number of herbivores under weak top-down regulation between our three scenarios, with important implications for how they will influence climate change relevant processes. Under the Present-Natural non-ruminant, megaherbivore, browsers were a particularly important guild across much of the world. Megaherbivore extinction and range contraction and the arrival of livestock mean large, ruminant, grazers have become more dominant. ENT Rewilding can restore the Afrotropics and the Indo-Malay realm to the Present-Natural benchmark, but causes top-down forcing of the largest herbivores to become commonplace elsewhere. ENT Rewilding will reduce methane emissions, but does not maximize natural climate solution potential. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Sandom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
- Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP), University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Owen Middleton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Erick Lundgren
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
| | - John Rowan
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Simon D. Schowanek
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Søren Faurby
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Box 461, SE 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Box 461, SE 405 30, Göteborg, Sweden
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Derham
- School of Natural Sciences and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH) University of Tasmania Hobart Tas. Australia
| | - Freya Mathews
- College of Arts Social Sciences and CommerceLa Trobe University Bundoora Vic. Australia
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Guyton JA, Pansu J, Hutchinson MC, Kartzinel TR, Potter AB, Coverdale TC, Daskin JH, da Conceição AG, Peel MJS, Stalmans ME, Pringle RM. Trophic rewilding revives biotic resistance to shrub invasion. Nat Ecol Evol 2020; 4:712-724. [PMID: 31932702 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-019-1068-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Trophic rewilding seeks to rehabilitate degraded ecosystems by repopulating them with large animals, thereby re-establishing strong top-down interactions. Yet there are very few tests of whether such initiatives can restore ecosystem structure and functions, and on what timescales. Here we show that war-induced collapse of large-mammal populations in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park exacerbated woody encroachment by the invasive shrub Mimosa pigra-considered one of the world's 100 worst invasive species-and that one decade of concerted trophic rewilding restored this invasion to pre-war baseline levels. Mimosa occurrence increased between 1972 and 2015, a period encompassing the near extirpation of large herbivores during the Mozambican Civil War. From 2015 to 2019, mimosa abundance declined as ungulate biomass recovered. DNA metabarcoding revealed that ruminant herbivores fed heavily on mimosa, and experimental exclosures confirmed the causal role of mammalian herbivory in containing shrub encroachment. Our results provide mechanistic evidence that trophic rewilding has rapidly revived a key ecosystem function (biotic resistance to a notorious woody invader), underscoring the potential for restoring ecological health in degraded protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Guyton
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Johan Pansu
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Station Biologique de Roscoff, UMR 7144 CNRS-Sorbonne Université, Roscoff, France.,CSIRO Ocean & Atmosphere, Lucas Heights, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthew C Hutchinson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Tyler R Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Arjun B Potter
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Tyler C Coverdale
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Joshua H Daskin
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA.,Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - Mike J S Peel
- ARC-Animal Production Institute, Rangeland Ecology Group, Nelspruit, South Africa
| | - Marc E Stalmans
- Department of Scientific Services, Parque Nacional da Gorongosa, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Robert M Pringle
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA. .,Department of Scientific Services, Parque Nacional da Gorongosa, Sofala, Mozambique.
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35
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Barbosa JM, Pascual-Rico R, Eguia Martínez S, Sánchez-Zapata JA. Ungulates Attenuate the Response of Mediterranean Mountain Vegetation to Climate Oscillations. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00449-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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36
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Toit JT, Pettorelli N. The differences between rewilding and restoring an ecologically degraded landscape. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Johan T. Toit
- Department of Wildland Resources Utah State University Logan UT USA
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37
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Law A, Levanoni O, Foster G, Ecke F, Willby NJ. Are beavers a solution to the freshwater biodiversity crisis? DIVERS DISTRIB 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Law
- Biological & Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
| | - Oded Levanoni
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Frauke Ecke
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
| | - Nigel J. Willby
- Biological & Environmental Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
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