1
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Faure E, Levrel H, Quétier F. Economics of rewilding. AMBIO 2024:10.1007/s13280-024-02019-2. [PMID: 38850468 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-024-02019-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Rewilding, a concept often defined as an open-ended approach to ecological restoration that aims to establish self-sustaining ecosystems, has gained much interest in recent conservation science and practice. The economic dimensions of rewilding remain understudied, despite repeated calls for research, and we find that synthetic or programmatic contributions to the scientific literature are still missing. Here, we mined Scopus and Web of Science databases through a systematic review, looking for "rewilding" with various economic terms in the peer-reviewed literature, in the English language. We then screened out a 257 references-rich corpus with 14 variables, including the position of rewilding regarding positive and negative economic effects in specific sectors, and geographical or ecological foci. Our corpus amounts to ca. 40% of recent rewilding literature, with a clear emphasis on European study sites and the economic consequences of rewilding initiatives. Rewilding studies often refer to positive economic impacts on tourism and hunting, e.g., through higher income and employment rates, although very few studies properly quantify these. Conversely, most authors find rewilding harms farming, which is threatened by abandonment and damages by wildlife, raising interest in potential EU subsidy regimes. We highlight the surprising paucity of rewilding literature truly focusing on economics and/or providing detailed quantification-with remarkable exceptions. While rewilding's ecological relevance is no longer in question, demonstrating its economic benefits and sustainability will undoubtedly help scaling up. Thus, we advise rewilders to systematically measure and report investments and outcomes of rewilding initiatives, and to adopt common standards for cost and benefit assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Faure
- Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, CNRS - Univ. Grenoble Alpes - Univ. Savoie Mont-Blanc, Grenoble, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement, AgroParisTech - Cirad - CNRS - EHESS - Ecole des PontsParisTech, Nogent-sur-Marne, France
| | - Harold Levrel
- Université Paris-Saclay, Centre International de Recherche sur l'Environnement et le Développement, AgroParisTech - Cirad - CNRS - EHESS - Ecole des PontsParisTech, Nogent-sur-Marne, France.
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2
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Massenberg JR, Schiller J, Schröter‐Schlaack C. Towards a holistic approach to rewilding in cultural landscapes. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julian R. Massenberg
- Department Economics Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Johannes Schiller
- Department Economics Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Leipzig Germany
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3
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Broughton RK, Bullock JM, George C, Gerard F, Maziarz M, Payne WE, Scholefield PA, Wade D, Pywell RF. Slow development of woodland vegetation and bird communities during 33 years of passive rewilding in open farmland. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277545. [PMID: 36367885 PMCID: PMC9651571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Passive rewilding is a potential tool for expanding woodland cover and restoring biodiversity by abandoning land management and allowing natural vegetation succession to occur. Land can be abandoned to passive rewilding deliberately or due to socio-economic change. Despite abandonment being a major driver of land use change, few have studied the long-term outcomes for vegetation and biodiversity in Western Europe. Studies are also biased towards sites that are close to seed sources and favourable to woodland colonisation. In this case-study, we reconstruct a time series of passive rewilding over 33 years on 25 ha of former farmland that had been subject to soil tipping, far from woodland seed sources. Natural colonisation by shrubs and trees was surveyed at three points during the time series, using field mapping and lidar. Breeding birds were surveyed at three time points, and compared with surveys from nearby farmland. Results showed that natural colonisation of woody vegetation was slow, with open grassland dominating the old fields for two decades, and small wetlands developing spontaneously. After 33 years, thorny shrub thickets covered 53% of the site and former hedgerows became subsumed or degraded, but trees remained scarce. However, the resulting habitat mosaic of shrubland, grassland and wetland supported a locally distinctive bird community. Farmland bird species declined as passive rewilding progressed, but this was countered by relatively more wetland birds and an increase in woodland birds, particularly songbirds, compared to nearby farmland. Alongside biodiversity benefits, shrubland establishment by passive rewilding could potentially provide ecosystem services via abundant blossom resources for pollinators, and recreation and berry-gathering opportunities for people. Although closed-canopy woodland remained a distant prospect even after 33 years, the habitat mosaic arising from passive rewilding could be considered a valuable outcome, which could contribute to nature recovery and provision of ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard K. Broughton
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - James M. Bullock
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Charles George
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - France Gerard
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Maziarz
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wesley E. Payne
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Paul A. Scholefield
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Bailrigg, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel Wade
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Richard F. Pywell
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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4
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Jepson PR. To capitalise on the Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, we need institutional redesign to empower advances in restoration ecology and rewilding. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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5
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Moore LJ, Arietta AZA, Spencer DT, Huijser MP, Walder BL, Abra FD. On the Road Without a Map: Why We Need an “Ethic of Road Ecology”. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.774286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, our knowledge of the ecological impacts of roads has increased rapidly. It is now clear that the environmental effects of transportation infrastructure are inextricable from transportation benefits to economic, social, and cultural values. Despite the necessity of optimizing these multiple values, road planners, scientists, and practitioners have no established methodology or pluralistic approach to address growing ethical complexities. We articulate five ethical issues that could be addressed by developing an ethic of road ecology in order to facilitate the identification, reasoning, and harmonization of ethical dimensions of road planning and development. This inquiry into road ecology can draw lessons from existing applied ethics, such as in ecological restoration and urban planning, to build a narrative that is informed by both science and ethics. We illustrate five ethical issues presented through case studies that elaborate on the motivations, responsibilities, and duties that should be considered in ethically and scientifically complicated road building decisions. To address these issues, we encourage the development of a code of ethics, dedicated intellectual forums, and practical guidance to assist road planners, and more broadly transportation practitioners, to resolve complex ethical quandaries systematically. We hope this perspective encourages conversation for a holistic yet pragmatic approach to this applied ethics problem, while also assisting responsible parties as they navigate difficult moral terrain.
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6
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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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7
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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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8
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Gomes E, Inácio M, Bogdzevič K, Kalinauskas M, Karnauskaitė D, Pereira P. Future scenarios impact on land use change and habitat quality in Lithuania. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 197:111101. [PMID: 33831413 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Anticipating future land use and land cover (LULC) changes can improve our knowledge of the complexity of human-environment interactions that lead to transformations in the landscape. Therefore, it is key to understand these LULC changes under different scenarios and how they affect habitat quality (HQ) a key indicator for ecosystem services (ES) supply quality. This work aims to study the impacts of LULC changes under different scenarios: business as usual (A0), urbanisation (A1), land abandonment and afforestation (A2) and agriculture intensification (A3) in 2050. To simulate future LULC changes we applied the Cellular Automata (CA) method, and to assess HQ, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model was used. Spatial autocorrelation was assessed with a Moran's I index and the Getis Ord* hotspot analysis. The result showed that the LULC model calibration and validation were accurate (80%). Between 1990 and 2018 there was an increase in urban areas and forest and woodlands, which was reflected in the A0 scenario in 2050. Under the A1 scenario there was an increase in the urban area (4628 ha) compared to 2018, and in the most important cities (e.g., Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipeda) in the scenario A2 there was an increase of 375,820 ha of woodland and forest. Finally, under the scenario A3, a large growth in cropland area (884,030 ha) was identified. HQ model had a better validation using three cover density data (r2 = 0.67), than with imperviousness (r2 = 0.26). A2 scenario showed the highest HQ and A3 scenario have the lowest HQ. The land uses of 1990, 2018, and A3 scenario had a clustered distribution while A0, A1 and A2 showed a random pattern. The results can support policy-makers by assessing the impact of future LULC changes in Lithuania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Gomes
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Miguel Inácio
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Katažyna Bogdzevič
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Marius Kalinauskas
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Donalda Karnauskaitė
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Paulo Pereira
- Environmental Management Laboratory, Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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9
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Schou JS, Bladt J, Ejrnæs R, Thomsen MN, Vedel SE, Fløjgaard C. Economic assessment of rewilding versus agri-environmental nature management. AMBIO 2021; 50:1047-1057. [PMID: 33191487 PMCID: PMC8035355 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01423-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Policies aiming at improving biodiversity often consist of costly agri-environmental schemes, i.e. subsidized grazing or mowing of semi-natural areas. However, these practices have widely been found to be insufficient to mitigate biodiversity loss. Rewilding, i.e. restoring natural processes in self-sustaining biodiverse ecosystems, has been proposed as an alternative and is hypothesized to be a more cost-efficient approach to promote biodiversity conservation. Rewilding requires the availability of large natural areas which are not allocated for farming, forestry, and infrastructure to avoid potential conflicts over the use of the area. We perform an ex-ante private cost-benefit analysis of the establishment of four large nature reserves for rewilding in Denmark. We analyse the economic effects of changing from summer grazing in nature areas in combination with cultivated fields and forestry to the establishment of nature reserves in four case areas. We consider two scenarios involving conversion of agriculture and forestry areas into natural areas in combination with either extensive year-round cattle grazing or rewilding with wild large herbivores. In two case areas, it appears possible to establish large nature areas without incurring extra costs. Additionally, rewilding further reduces costs compared to year-round cattle grazing. Two opposing effects were dominant: increased economic rent occurred from the shift from summer grazing to year-round grazing or rewilding, while cessation of agriculture and forestry caused opportunity costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesper Sølver Schou
- Institute of Food and Resource Economics, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 25, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Jesper Bladt
- Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Ejrnæs
- Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
| | | | | | - Camilla Fløjgaard
- Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, 8410 Rønde, Denmark
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10
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Garrido P, Edenius L, Mikusiński G, Skarin A, Jansson A, Thulin CG. Experimental rewilding may restore abandoned wood-pastures if policy allows. AMBIO 2021; 50:101-112. [PMID: 32152907 PMCID: PMC7708577 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01320-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Large herbivores play key roles in terrestrial ecosystems. Continuous defaunation processes have produced cascade effects on plant community composition, vegetation structure, and even climate. Wood-pastures were created by traditional management practices that have maintained open structures and biodiversity for millennia. In Europe, despite the broad recognition of their biological importance, such landscapes are declining due to land-use changes. This calls for finding urgent solutions for wood-pasture conservation. To test whether introducing an ecological replacement of an extinct wild horse could have positive effects on wood-pasture restoration, we designed a 3-year rewilding experiment. Horses created a more open wood-pasture structure by browsing on seedlings and saplings, affected tree composition via selective browsing and controlled the colonization of woody vegetation in grassland-dominated areas. Thus, rewilding could be a potential avenue for wood-pasture restoration and biodiversity conservation. However, such benefits may not materialize without a necessary paradigm and political shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Garrido
- School for Forest Management, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 739 21 Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Lars Edenius
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Grzegorz Mikusiński
- School for Forest Management, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 739 21 Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 730 91 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Anna Skarin
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anna Jansson
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Carl-Gustaf Thulin
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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11
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Brunbjerg AK, Bruun HH, Dalby L, Classen AT, Fløjgaard C, Frøslev TG, Pryds Hansen OL, Høye TT, Moeslund JE, Svenning J, Ejrnæs R. Multi‐taxon inventory reveals highly consistent biodiversity responses to ecospace variation. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lars Dalby
- Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. DK‐8410 Rønde Denmark
| | - Aimée T. Classen
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Univ. of Vermont Burlington VT USA
- The Gund Institute for Environment, Univ. of Vermont Burlington VT USA
| | | | | | - Oskar Liset Pryds Hansen
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. Aarhus Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Dept of Bioscience Aarhus Denmark
| | - Toke Thomas Høye
- Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. DK‐8410 Rønde Denmark
- Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus Univ. Aarhus Denmark
| | | | - Jens‐Christian Svenning
- Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. Aarhus Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Dept of Bioscience Aarhus Denmark
| | - Rasmus Ejrnæs
- Dept of Bioscience, Aarhus Univ. DK‐8410 Rønde Denmark
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12
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Macias-Fauria M, Jepson P, Zimov N, Malhi Y. Pleistocene Arctic megafaunal ecological engineering as a natural climate solution? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190122. [PMID: 31983339 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural climate solutions (NCS) in the Arctic hold the potential to be implemented at a scale able to substantially affect the global climate. The strong feedbacks between carbon-rich permafrost, climate and herbivory suggest an NCS consisting of reverting the current wet/moist moss and shrub-dominated tundra and the sparse forest-tundra ecotone to grassland through a guild of large herbivores. Grassland-dominated systems might delay permafrost thaw and reduce carbon emissions-especially in Yedoma regions, while increasing carbon capture through increased productivity and grass and forb deep root systems. Here we review the environmental context of megafaunal ecological engineering in the Arctic; explore the mechanisms through which it can help mitigate climate change; and estimate its potential-based on bison and horse, with the aim of evaluating the feasibility of generating an ecosystem shift that is economically viable in terms of carbon benefits and of sufficient scale to play a significant role in global climate change mitigation. Assuming a megafaunal-driven ecosystem shift we find support for a megafauna-based arctic NCS yielding substantial income in carbon markets. However, scaling up such projects to have a significant effect on the global climate is challenging given the large number of animals required over a short period of time. A first-cut business plan is presented based on practical information-costs and infrastructure-from Pleistocene Park (northeastern Yakutia, Russia). A 10 yr experimental phase incorporating three separate introductions of herds of approximately 1000 individuals each is costed at US$114 million, with potential returns of approximately 0.3-0.4% yr-1 towards the end of the period, and greater than 1% yr-1 after it. Institutional friction and the potential role of new technologies in the reintroductions are discussed. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change and ecosystems: threats, opportunities and solutions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Macias-Fauria
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Paul Jepson
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Ecosulis Ltd., Bath, UK
| | - Nikita Zimov
- Northeast Science Station, Pacific Institute for Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Cherskii, Russia
| | - Yadvinder Malhi
- School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Pedersen PBM, Ejrnæs R, Sandel B, Svenning JC. Trophic Rewilding Advancement in Anthropogenically Impacted Landscapes (TRAAIL): A framework to link conventional conservation management and rewilding. AMBIO 2020; 49:231-244. [PMID: 31201614 PMCID: PMC6889113 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01192-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
A variety of rewilding initiatives are being implemented across Europe, generally characterized by a more functionalist approach to nature management compared to the classic compositional approach. To address the increasing need for a framework to support implementation of rewilding in practical management, we present TRAAIL-Trophic Rewilding Advancement in Anthropogenically Impacted Landscapes. TRAAIL has been co-produced with managers and other stakeholders and provides managers with a framework to categorize rewilding initiatives and to link conventional nature management and rewilding by guiding steps towards a higher degree of self-regulation. Applying TRAAIL to data obtained in a Danish survey of rewilding-inspired initiatives we find that out of 44 initiatives there is no "Full rewilding" initiatives, 3 "Near-full rewilding" initiatives, 23 "Partial rewilding" initiatives, 2 "minimal rewilding" initiatives and 16 "Effort-intensive conservation management" initiatives. This study shows how TRAAIL can guide and inform trophic rewilding on a local and national scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pil Birkefeldt Møller Pedersen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Århus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Århus C, Denmark
- Section for Biodiversity & Conservation, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, Rønde, 8410 Århus, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Ejrnæs
- Section for Biodiversity & Conservation, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Grenåvej 14, Rønde, 8410 Århus, Denmark
| | - Brody Sandel
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Århus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053 USA
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Århus C, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, 8000 Århus C, Denmark
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14
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Garrido P, Mårell A, Öckinger E, Skarin A, Jansson A, Thulin C. Experimental rewilding enhances grassland functional composition and pollinator habitat use. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Garrido
- School for Forest ManagementFaculty of Forest SciencesSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Skinnskatteberg Sweden
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and BiochemistrySwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Erik Öckinger
- Department of EcologySwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Anna Skarin
- Department of Animal Nutrition and ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Anna Jansson
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and BiochemistrySwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
| | - Carl‐Gustaf Thulin
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental StudiesSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and BiochemistrySwedish University of Agricultural Sciences Uppsala Sweden
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Bakker ES, Svenning JC. Trophic rewilding: impact on ecosystems under global change. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2017.0432. [PMID: 30348876 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth S Bakker
- Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.,Section for Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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