1
|
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'.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Turvey ST, Saupe EE. Insights from the past: unique opportunity or foreign country? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190208. [PMID: 31679483 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel T Turvey
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Erin E Saupe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Jepson P. Recoverable Earth: a twenty-first century environmental narrative. AMBIO 2019; 48:123-130. [PMID: 29949078 PMCID: PMC6346602 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1065-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Rewilding may signify the emergence of a new environmental narrative. Discussion of underlying policy narratives is important because they shape understandings of the state of world and how society should act. I summarise the origins of twentieth century environmental narratives and argue that their influence derives from components telling of the dire state of nature, the catastrophic consequences of this and the need for competent authorities to act to govern the perpetrators of harm. Reflecting on my engagements with rewilding science and practice, I posit that stories of rewilding are adopting a quite different narrative structure: one that involves components telling of feelings of despondency and processes of awakening, action, and reassessment leading to the recovery of natural and social well-being. These components align with the narrative structure of accounts of mental health. I label this emerging narrative 'Recoverable Earth' and suggest that it signifies action by grassroot conservationists to reassert their ability to lead change locally and produce better outcomes for nature and society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Jepson
- School of Geography and the Environment, Dyson Perrins Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Derham TT, Duncan RP, Johnson CN, Jones ME. Hope and caution: rewilding to mitigate the impacts of biological invasions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2018.0127. [PMID: 30348875 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Rewilding is a novel approach to ecological restoration. Trophic rewilding in particular aims to reinstate ecological functions, especially trophic interactions, through the introduction of animals. We consider the potential for trophic rewilding to address biological invasions. In this broad review, we note some of the important conceptual and ethical foundations of rewilding, including a focus on ecosystem function rather than composition, reliance on animal agency, and an appeal to an ethic of coexistence. Second, we use theory from invasion biology to highlight pathways by which rewilding might prevent or mitigate the impacts of an invasion, including increasing biotic resistance. Third, we use a series of case studies to illustrate how reintroductions can mitigate the impacts of invasions. These include reintroductions and positive management of carnivores and herbivores including European pine martens (Martes martes), Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra), dingoes (Canis dingo), Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) and tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes). Fourth, we consider the risk that rewilding may enable a biological invasion or aggravate its impacts. Lastly, we highlight lessons that rewilding science might take from invasion biology.This article is part of the theme issue 'Trophic rewilding: consequences for ecosystems under global change'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tristan T Derham
- School of Natural Sciences and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Richard P Duncan
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Christopher N Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage (CABAH), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Menna E Jones
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Cromsigt JPGM, Te Beest M, Kerley GIH, Landman M, le Roux E, Smith FA. Trophic rewilding as a climate change mitigation strategy? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:20170440. [PMID: 30348867 PMCID: PMC6231077 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The loss of megafauna at the terminal Pleistocene has been linked to a wide range of Earth-system-level changes, such as altered greenhouse gas budgets, fire regimes and biome-level vegetation changes. Given these influences and feedbacks, might part of the solution for mitigating anthropogenic climate change lie in the restoration of extant megafauna to ecosystems? Here, we explore the potential role of trophic rewilding on Earth's climate system. We first provide a novel synthesis of the various ways that megafauna interact with the major drivers of anthropogenic climate change, including greenhouse gas storage and emission, aerosols and albedo. We then explore the role of rewilding as a mitigation tool at two scales: (i) current and near-future opportunities for national or regional climate change mitigation portfolios, and (ii) more radical opportunities at the global scale. Finally, we identify major knowledge gaps that complicate the complete characterization of rewilding as a climate change mitigation strategy. Our perspective is urgent since we are losing the Earth's last remaining megafauna, and with it a potential option to address climate change.This article is part of the theme issue 'Trophic rewilding: consequences for ecosystems under global change'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joris P G M Cromsigt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå 901 83, Sweden
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
- Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, PO Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mariska Te Beest
- Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, PO Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
- SAEON Grasslands-Wetlands-Forests Node, South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON), Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
| | - Graham I H Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
| | - Marietjie Landman
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
| | - Elizabeth le Roux
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
| | - Felisa A Smith
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
van Klink R, WallisDeVries MF. Risks and opportunities of trophic rewilding for arthropod communities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2017.0441. [PMID: 30348868 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Trophic rewilding is a restoration strategy focusing on the restoration of trophic interactions to promote self-regulating, biodiverse ecosystems. It has been proposed as an alternative to traditional conservation management in abandoned or defaunated areas. Arthropods constitute the most species-rich group of eukaryotic organisms, but are rarely considered in rewilding. Here, we first present an overview of direct and indirect pathways by which large herbivores and predators affect arthropod communities. We then review the published evidence of the impacts of rewilding with large herbivores on arthropods, including grey literature. We find that systematic monitoring is rare and that a comparison with a relevant control treatment is usually lacking. Nevertheless, the available data suggest that when the important process of top-down control of large-herbivore populations is missing, arthropod diversity tends to decrease. To ensure that rewilding is supportive of biodiversity conservation, we propose that if natural processes can only partially be restored, substitutes for missing processes are applied. We also propose that boundaries of acceptable outcomes of rewilding actions should be defined a priori, particularly concerning biodiversity conservation, and that action is taken when these boundaries are transgressed. To evaluate the success of rewilding for biodiversity, monitoring of arthropod communities should be a key instrument.This article is part of the theme issue 'Trophic rewilding: consequences for ecosystems under global change'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roel van Klink
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research iDiv (Halle/Jena/Leipzig), Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Michiel F WallisDeVries
- De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, Wageningen 6702 AD, The Netherlands.,Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 PB, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Fuhlendorf SD, Davis CA, Elmore RD, Goodman LE, Hamilton RG. Perspectives on grassland conservation efforts: should we rewild to the past or conserve for the future? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2017.0438. [PMID: 30348865 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Grasslands are among the most imperilled biomes of the world. Identifying the most appropriate framework for restoring grasslands is dependent on the objectives of restoration, which is inherently determined by human priorities. Debates over the appropriate conservation model for grasslands have often focused on which species of herbivores should be the focus of restoration efforts. Here we discuss three perspectives of herbivore-based conservation in North American grasslands. First, the Pleistocene rewilding perspective is based upon the idea that early humans contributed to the demise of megafauna that were important to the evolution and development of many of North America's grasslands; therefore, their aim of restoration is rewilding of landscapes to pre-human times. Second, the bison rewilding perspective considers American bison a keystone herbivore that is culturally and ecologically important to North American grasslands. A third perspective focuses on restoring the pattern and processes of herbivory on grasslands and is less concerned about which herbivore is introduced to the landscape. We evaluate each of these three conservation perspectives in terms of a framework that includes a human domain, an herbivore domain and a biophysical domain. While all conservation perspectives partly address the three domains, they all fall short in key areas. Specifically, they fail to recognize that past, current and future humans are intimately linked to grassland patterns and processes and will continue to play a role in structuring grasslands. Furthermore, these perspectives seem to only superficially consider the role of fragmentation and climate change in influencing grassland patterns and processes. As such, we argue that future grassland conservation efforts must depend on the development of a model that better integrates societal, economic and policy objectives and recognizes climate change, fragmentation and humans as an integral part of these ecosystems.This article is part of the theme issue 'Trophic rewilding: consequences for ecosystems under global change'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D Fuhlendorf
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Craig A Davis
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - R Dwayne Elmore
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Laura E Goodman
- Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Robert G Hamilton
- Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, The Nature Conservancy, Pawhuska, OK 74056, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
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: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [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
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Torres A, Fernández N, Zu Ermgassen S, Helmer W, Revilla E, Saavedra D, Perino A, Mimet A, Rey-Benayas JM, Selva N, Schepers F, Svenning JC, Pereira HM. Measuring rewilding progress. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 373:rstb.2017.0433. [PMID: 30348877 PMCID: PMC6231071 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rewilding is emerging as a promising restoration strategy to enhance the conservation status of biodiversity and promote self-regulating ecosystems while re-engaging people with nature. Overcoming the challenges in monitoring and reporting rewilding projects would improve its practical implementation and maximize its conservation and restoration outcomes. Here, we present a novel approach for measuring and monitoring progress in rewilding that focuses on the ecological attributes of rewilding. We devised a bi-dimensional framework for assessing the recovery of processes and their natural dynamics through (i) decreasing human forcing on ecological processes and (ii) increasing ecological integrity of ecosystems. The rewilding assessment framework incorporates the reduction of material inputs and outputs associated with human management, as well as the restoration of natural stochasticity and disturbance regimes, landscape connectivity and trophic complexity. Furthermore, we provide a list of potential activities for increasing the ecological integrity after reviewing the evidence for the effectiveness of common restoration actions. For illustration purposes, we apply the framework to three flagship restoration projects in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Argentina. This approach has the potential to broaden the scope of rewilding projects, facilitate sound decision-making and connect the science and practice of rewilding.This article is part of the theme issue 'Trophic rewilding: consequences for ecosystems under global change'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aurora Torres
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany .,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06108, Germany
| | - Néstor Fernández
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06108, Germany
| | - Sophus Zu Ermgassen
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06108, Germany.,Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Kent CT2 7NZ, UK
| | - Wouter Helmer
- Rewilding Europe, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Eloy Revilla
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana CSIC, Seville 41092, Spain
| | - Deli Saavedra
- Rewilding Europe, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Perino
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06108, Germany
| | - Anne Mimet
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Department Computational Landscape Ecology, UFZ - Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig 04318, Germany
| | - José M Rey-Benayas
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Alcalá, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - Nuria Selva
- Institute of Nature Conservation Polish Academy of Sciences, Av. Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
| | - Frans Schepers
- Rewilding Europe, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Department of Bioscience, 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
| | - Henrique M Pereira
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06108, Germany.,Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), Universidade do Porto, 4485-661, Vairāo, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nagaoka L, Rick T, Wolverton S. The overkill model and its impact on environmental research. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9683-9696. [PMID: 30386567 PMCID: PMC6202698 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on human-environment interactions that informs ecological practices and guides conservation and restoration has become increasingly interdisciplinary over the last few decades. Fueled in part by the debate over defining a start date for the Anthropocene, historical disciplines like archeology, paleontology, geology, and history are playing an important role in understanding long-term anthropogenic impacts on the planet. Pleistocene overkill, the notion that humans overhunted megafauna near the end of the Pleistocene in the Americas, Australia, and beyond, is used as prime example of the impact that humans can have on the planet. However, the importance of the overkill model for explaining human-environment interactions and anthropogenic impacts appears to differ across disciplines. There is still considerable debate, particularly within archeology, about the extent to which people may have been the cause of these extinctions. To evaluate how different disciplines interpret and use the overkill model, we conducted a citation analysis of selected works of the main proponent of the overkill model, Paul Martin. We examined the ideas and arguments for which Martin's overkill publications were cited and how they differed between archeologists and ecologists. Archeologists cite overkill as one in a combination of causal mechanisms for the extinctions. In contrast, ecologists are more likely to accept that humans caused the extinctions. Aspects of the overkill argument are also treated as established ecological processes. For some ecologists, overkill provides an analog for modern-day human impacts and supports the argument that humans have "always" been somewhat selfish overconsumers. The Pleistocene rewilding and de-extinction movements are built upon these perspectives. The use of overkill in ecological publications suggests that despite increasing interdisciplinarity, communication with disciplines outside of ecology is not always reciprocal or even.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Nagaoka
- Department of Geography and the EnvironmentUniversity of North TexasDentonTexas
| | - Torben Rick
- Department of AnthropologySmithsonian InstitutionNational Museum of Natural HistoryWashingtonDistrict of Columbia
| | - Steve Wolverton
- Department of Geography and the EnvironmentUniversity of North TexasDentonTexas
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
He F, Bremerich V, Zarfl C, Geldmann J, Langhans SD, David JNW, Darwall W, Tockner K, Jähnig SC. Freshwater megafauna diversity: Patterns, status and threats. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fengzhi He
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; Berlin Germany
- Institute of Biology; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
- School of Geography; Queen Mary University of London; London UK
| | - Vanessa Bremerich
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; Berlin Germany
| | - Christiane Zarfl
- Center for Applied Geosciences; Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; Tübingen Germany
| | - Jonas Geldmann
- Department of Zoology; Conservation Science Group; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
| | - Simone D. Langhans
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; Berlin Germany
| | | | - William Darwall
- Freshwater Biodiversity Unit; IUCN Global Species Programme; Cambridge UK
| | - Klement Tockner
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; Berlin Germany
- Institute of Biology; Freie Universität Berlin; Berlin Germany
- Austrian Science Fund (FWF); Vienna Austria
| | - Sonja C. Jähnig
- Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries; Berlin Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Pettorelli N, Barlow J, Stephens PA, Durant SM, Connor B, Schulte to Bühne H, Sandom CJ, Wentworth J, du Toit JT. Making rewilding fit for policy. J Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre; Lancaster University; Lancaster UK
| | - Philip A. Stephens
- Conservation Ecology Group; Department of Biosciences; Durham University; Durham UK
| | - Sarah M. Durant
- Institute of Zoology; Zoological Society of London; London UK
| | - Ben Connor
- British Ecological Society; Charles Darwin House; London UK
| | | | | | - Jonathan Wentworth
- Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology; Houses of Parliament; London UK
| | - Johan T. du Toit
- Department of Wildland Resources; Utah State University; Logan UT USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
|
14
|
Root-Bernstein M, Galetti M, Ladle RJ. Rewilding South America: Ten key questions. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2017.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
|
15
|
Disturbance-grazer-vegetation interactions maintain habitat diversity in mountain pasture-woodlands. Ecol Modell 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2017.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
16
|
Pedersen RØ, Faurby S, Svenning JC. Shallow size-density relations within mammal clades suggest greater intra-guild ecological impact of large-bodied species. J Anim Ecol 2017; 86:1205-1213. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus Østergaard Pedersen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity; Department of Bioscience; Aarhus University; Aarhus C Denmark
| | - Søren Faurby
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity; Department of Bioscience; Aarhus University; Aarhus C Denmark
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change; Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC; Madrid Spain
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Gothenburg; Göteborg Sweden
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre; Göteborg Sweden
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity; Department of Bioscience; Aarhus University; Aarhus C Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Rebein M, Davis CN, Abad H, Stone T, Del Sol J, Skinner N, Moran MD. Seed dispersal of Diospyros virginiana in the past and the present: Evidence for a generalist evolutionary strategy. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:4035-4043. [PMID: 28616198 PMCID: PMC5468125 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Several North American trees are hypothesized to have lost their co‐evolved seed disperser during the late‐Pleistocene extinction and are therefore considered anachronistic. We tested this hypothesis for the American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) by studying the effects of gut passage of proposed seed dispersers on seedling survival and growth, natural fruiting characteristics, and modern animal consumption patterns. We tested gut passage effects on persimmon seeds using three native living species, the raccoon (Procyon lotor), Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), and coyote (Canis latrans), and two Pleistocene analogs; the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and alpaca (Vicugna pacos). Persimmon seeds excreted by raccoons, coyotes, and elephants survived gut transit. Gut passage did not affect sprouting success, but did tend to decrease time to sprout and increase seedling quality. Under field conditions, persimmon fruits were palatable on the parent tree and on the ground for an equal duration, but most fruits were consumed on the ground. Seven vertebrate species fed upon persimmon fruits, with the white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)—a species not capable of dispersing persimmon seeds—comprising over 90% of detections. Conversely, potential living seed dispersers were rarely detected. Our results suggest the American persimmon evolved to attract a variety of seed dispersers and thus is not anachronistic. However, human‐induced changes in mammal communities could be affecting successful seed dispersal. We argue that changes in the relative abundance of mammals during the Anthropocene may be modifying seed dispersal patterns, leading to potential changes in forest community composition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mimi Rebein
- Department of Biology Hendrix College Conway AR USA
| | - Charli N Davis
- Department of Biology Hendrix College Conway AR USA.,Present address: Department of Biology Gilbert Hall Stanford University Stanford CA 94305-5020 USA
| | - Helena Abad
- Department of Biology Hendrix College Conway AR USA
| | - Taylor Stone
- Department of Biology Hendrix College Conway AR USA
| | - Jillian Del Sol
- Department of Biology Hendrix College Conway AR USA.,Present address: Division of Biological Sciences (DBS) University of Montana 32 Campus Dr. HS 104 Missoula MT 59812 USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Fernández N, Navarro LM, Pereira HM. Rewilding: A Call for Boosting Ecological Complexity in Conservation. Conserv Lett 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Néstor Fernández
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Deutscher Platz 5e 04103 Leipzig Germany
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC); Spanish National Research Council; Americo Vespucio s.n. 41092 Sevilla Spain
| | - Laetitia M. Navarro
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Deutscher Platz 5e 04103 Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Biology; Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg; Am Kirchtor 1 06108 Halle Saale Germany
| | - Henrique M. Pereira
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Deutscher Platz 5e 04103 Leipzig Germany
- Institute of Biology; Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg; Am Kirchtor 1 06108 Halle Saale Germany
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Hemiboreal forest: natural disturbances and the importance of ecosystem legacies to management. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
|
20
|
Corlett RT. Restoration, Reintroduction, and Rewilding in a Changing World. Trends Ecol Evol 2016; 31:453-462. [PMID: 26987771 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2016.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2015] [Revised: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The increasing abandonment of marginal land creates new opportunities for restoration, reintroduction, and rewilding, but what do these terms mean in a rapidly and irreversibly changing world? The 're' prefix means 'back', but it is becoming clear that the traditional use of past ecosystems as targets and criteria for success must be replaced by an orientation towards an uncertain future. Current opinions in restoration and reintroduction biology range from a defense of traditional definitions, with some modifications, to acceptance of more radical responses, including assisted migration, taxon substitution, de-extinction, and genetic modification. Rewilding attempts to minimize sustained intervention, but this hands-off approach is also threatened by rapid environmental change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard T Corlett
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Cousins SAO, Kaligarič M, Bakan B, Lindborg R. Political systems affect mobile and sessile species diversity--a legacy from the post-WWII period. PLoS One 2014; 9:e103367. [PMID: 25084154 PMCID: PMC4118865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Political ideologies, policies and economy affect land use which in turn may affect biodiversity patterns and future conservation targets. However, few studies have investigated biodiversity in landscapes with similar physical properties but governed by different political systems. Here we investigate land use and biodiversity patterns, and number and composition of birds and plants, in the borderland of Austria, Slovenia and Hungary. It is a physically uniform landscape but managed differently during the last 70 years as a consequence of the political "map" of Europe after World War I and II. We used a historical map from 1910 and satellite data to delineate land use within three 10-kilometre transects starting from the point where the three countries meet. There was a clear difference between countries detectable in current biodiversity patterns, which relates to land use history. Mobile species richness was associated with current land use whereas diversity of sessile species was more associated with past land use. Heterogeneous landscapes were positively and forest cover was negatively correlated to bird species richness. Our results provide insights into why landscape history is important to understand present and future biodiversity patterns, which is crucial for designing policies and conservation strategies across the world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara A O Cousins
- Landscape Ecology, Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mitja Kaligarič
- University of Maribor, Biology Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Maribor, Slovenia; Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, Pivola 10, Hoče, Slovenia
| | - Branko Bakan
- University of Maribor, Biology Department, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Maribor, Slovenia
| | - Regina Lindborg
- Landscape Ecology, Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Hällfors MH, Vaara EM, Hyvärinen M, Oksanen M, Schulman LE, Siipi H, Lehvävirta S. Coming to terms with the concept of moving species threatened by climate change - a systematic review of the terminology and definitions. PLoS One 2014; 9:e102979. [PMID: 25055023 PMCID: PMC4108403 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Intentional moving of species threatened by climate change is actively being discussed as a conservation approach. The debate, empirical studies, and policy development, however, are impeded by an inconsistent articulation of the idea. The discrepancy is demonstrated by the varying use of terms, such as assisted migration, assisted colonisation, or managed relocation, and their multiple definitions. Since this conservation approach is novel, and may for instance lead to legislative changes, it is important to aim for terminological consistency. The objective of this study is to analyse the suitability of terms and definitions used when discussing the moving of organisms as a response to climate change. An extensive literature search and review of the material (868 scientific publications) was conducted for finding hitherto used terms (N = 40) and definitions (N = 75), and these were analysed for their suitability. Based on the findings, it is argued that an appropriate term for a conservation approach relating to aiding the movement of organisms harmed by climate change is assisted migration defined as follows: Assisted migration means safeguarding biological diversity through the translocation of representatives of a species or population harmed by climate change to an area outside the indigenous range of that unit where it would be predicted to move as climate changes, were it not for anthropogenic dispersal barriers or lack of time. The differences between assisted migration and other conservation translocations are also discussed. A wide adoption of the clear and distinctive term and definition provided would allow more focused research on the topic and enable consistent implementation as practitioners could have the same understanding of the concept.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria H. Hällfors
- Botany Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elina M. Vaara
- Botany Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Law, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Marko Hyvärinen
- Botany Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Markku Oksanen
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Philosophy, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Leif E. Schulman
- Botany Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Helena Siipi
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Philosophy, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Susanna Lehvävirta
- Botany Unit, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Schwartz MW, Hellmann JJ, McLachlan JM, Sax DF, Borevitz JO, Brennan J, Camacho AE, Ceballos G, Clark JR, Doremus H, Early R, Etterson JR, Fielder D, Gill JL, Gonzalez P, Green N, Hannah L, Jamieson DW, Javeline D, Minteer BA, Odenbaugh J, Polasky S, Richardson DM, Root TL, Safford HD, Sala O, Schneider SH, Thompson AR, Williams JW, Vellend M, Vitt P, Zellmer S. Managed Relocation: Integrating the Scientific, Regulatory, and Ethical Challenges. Bioscience 2012. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2012.62.8.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 178] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
24
|
Eronen JT, Polly PD, Fred M, Damuth J, Frank DC, Mosbrugger V, Scheidegger C, Stenseth NC, Fortelius M. Ecometrics: the traits that bind the past and present together. Integr Zool 2012; 5:88-101. [PMID: 21392327 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-4877.2010.00192.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We outline here an approach for understanding the biology of climate change, one that integrates data at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Taxon-free trait analysis, or "ecometrics," is based on the idea that the distribution in a community of ecomorphological traits such as tooth structure, limb proportions, body mass, leaf shape, incubation temperature, claw shape, any aspect of anatomy or physiology can be measured across some subset of the organisms in a community. Regardless of temporal or spatial scale, traits are the means by which organisms interact with their environment, biotic and abiotic. Ecometrics measures these interactions by focusing on traits which are easily measurable, whose structure is closely related to their function, and whose function interacts directly with local environment. Ecometric trait distributions are thus a comparatively universal metric for exploring systems dynamics at all scales. The main challenge now is to move beyond investigating how future climate change will affect the distribution of organisms and how it will impact ecosystem services and to shift the perspective to ask how biotic systems interact with changing climate in general, and how climate change affects the interactions within and between the components of the whole biotic-physical system. We believe that it is possible to provide believable, quantitative answers to these questions. Because of this we have initiated an IUBS program iCCB (integrative Climate Change Biology).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jussi T Eronen
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - P David Polly
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marianne Fred
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - John Damuth
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - David C Frank
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Volker Mosbrugger
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christoph Scheidegger
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nils Chr Stenseth
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mikael Fortelius
- Department of Geosciences and Geography, Helsinki University, FinlandDepartment of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, USAARONIA Research Institute at Åbo Akademi University and Novia, University of Applied Sciences, Coastal Zone Research Team, Ekenäs, FinlandDepartment of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USASwiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, SwitzerlandSenckenberg Natural History Museum and Research Institute, Frankfurt, GermanyCentre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Hobbs RJ, Hallett LM, Ehrlich PR, Mooney HA. Intervention Ecology: Applying Ecological Science in the Twenty-first Century. Bioscience 2011. [DOI: 10.1525/bio.2011.61.6.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
|
26
|
Donlan CJ, Greene HW. Paul S. Martin (1928–2010): Luminary, Natural Historian, and Innovator. PLoS Biol 2011. [PMCID: PMC3035616 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C. Josh Donlan
- Advanced Conservation Strategies, Midway, Utah, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CJD); (HWG)
| | - Harry W. Greene
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CJD); (HWG)
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Seddon PJ. From Reintroduction to Assisted Colonization: Moving along the Conservation Translocation Spectrum. Restor Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2010.00724.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 258] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
|
28
|
Griffiths CJ, Harris S. Prevention of secondary extinctions through taxon substitution. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2010; 24:645-646. [PMID: 20579089 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01511.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
|
29
|
Oliveira-Santos LGR, Fernandez FAS. Pleistocene rewilding, frankenstein ecosystems, and an alternative conservation agenda. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2010; 24:4-5. [PMID: 20121834 DOI: 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01379.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
|
30
|
Griffiths CJ, Jones CG, Hansen DM, Puttoo M, Tatayah RV, Müller CB, Harris S. The Use of Extant Non-Indigenous Tortoises as a Restoration Tool to Replace Extinct Ecosystem Engineers. Restor Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2009.00612.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
31
|
McPherson JM, Myers RA. How to infer population trends in sparse data: examples with opportunistic sighting records for great white sharks. DIVERS DISTRIB 2009. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2009.00596.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
|
32
|
Dalerum F, Cameron EZ, Kunkel K, Somers MJ. Diversity and depletions in continental carnivore guilds: implications for prioritizing global carnivore conservation. Biol Lett 2009; 5:35-8. [PMID: 18842564 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2008.0520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large carnivores are important ecosystem components but are extinction prone due to small populations, slow growth rates and large area requirements. Consequently, there has been a surge of carnivore conservation efforts. Such efforts typically target local populations, with limited attention to the effects on the ecosystem function of predator guilds. Also, there is no framework for prioritizing these efforts globally. We compared taxonomic and functional diversity of continental carnivore guilds, compared them with the corresponding guilds during the Late Pleistocene and synthesized our results into suggestions for global prioritizations for carnivore conservation. Recent extinctions have caused taxonomically and functionally depleted carnivore guilds in Europe and North and South America, contrasting with guilds in Africa and Asia, which have retained a larger proportion of their carnivores. However, Asia is at higher risk of suffering further extinctions than other continents. We suggest three priorities of contrasting urgency for global carnivore conservation: (i) to promote recovery of the threatened Asian species, (ii) to prevent species in the depleted guilds in Europe and North and South America from becoming threatened, and (iii) to reconstruct functionally intact sympatric guilds of large carnivores at ecologically effective population sizes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F Dalerum
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, Republic of South Africa Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, 0002 Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Johnson CN. Ecological consequences of Late Quaternary extinctions of megafauna. Proc Biol Sci 2009; 276:2509-19. [PMID: 19324773 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Large herbivorous vertebrates have strong interactions with vegetation, affecting the structure, composition and dynamics of plant communities in many ways. Living large herbivores are a small remnant of the assemblages of giants that existed in most terrestrial ecosystems 50,000 years ago. The extinction of so many large herbivores may well have triggered large changes in plant communities. In several parts of the world, palaeoecological studies suggest that extinct megafauna once maintained vegetation openness, and in wooded landscapes created mosaics of different structural types of vegetation with high habitat and species diversity. Following megafaunal extinction, these habitats reverted to more dense and uniform formations. Megafaunal extinction also led to changes in fire regimes and increased fire frequency due to accumulation of uncropped plant material, but there is a great deal of variation in post-extinction changes in fire. Plant communities that once interacted with extinct large herbivores still contain many species with obsolete defences against browsing and non-functional adaptations for seed dispersal. Such plants may be in decline, and, as a result, many plant communities may be in various stages of a process of relaxation from megafauna-conditioned to megafauna-naive states. Understanding the past role of giant herbivores provides fundamental insight into the history, dynamics and conservation of contemporary plant communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C N Johnson
- School of Marine and Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Parker KA, Seabrook-Davison M, Ewen JG. Opportunities for Nonnative Ecological Replacements in Ecosystem Restoration. Restor Ecol 2008. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1526-100x.2010.00676.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
35
|
Reznick DN, Ghalambor CK, Crooks K. Experimental studies of evolution in guppies: a model for understanding the evolutionary consequences of predator removal in natural communities. Mol Ecol 2008; 17:97-107. [PMID: 17725576 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2007.03474.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in Trinidadian streams are found with a diversity of predators in the lower reaches of streams, but few predators in the headwaters. These differences have caused the adaptive evolution of guppy behaviour, morphology, male colouration and life history. Waterfalls often serve as barriers to the upstream distribution of predators and/or guppies. Such discontinuities make it possible to treat streams like giant test tubes by introducing guppies or predators to small segments of streams from which they were previously excluded. Such experiments enable us to document how fast evolution can occur and the fine spatial scales over which adaptation is possible. They also demonstrate that the role predators play in structuring this ecosystem resembles many others studied from a more purely ecological perspective; in these streams, as elsewhere, predators depress the numbers of individuals in prey species which in turn reduces the effects of the prey species on other trophic levels and hence the structure of the ecosystem. A focus on predators is important in conservation biology because predators are often the organisms that are most susceptible to local extinction. Their selective loss occurs because large predators have been deliberately exterminated and/or are more susceptible to environmental disturbances. Furthermore, we will argue that predator re-introductions might be destabilizing if, in the absence of predators, their prey have evolved in a fashion that makes them highly susceptible to predation, even after time intervals as short as 50-100 years. A better understanding of the evolutionary impacts of top predators will be critical goal for the policy and practice of large carnivore restoration in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, and Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Benkman CW, Siepielski AM, Parchman TL. The local introduction of strongly interacting species and the loss of geographic variation in species and species interactions. Mol Ecol 2008; 17:395-404. [PMID: 18173508 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2007.03368.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Species introductions into nearby communities may seem innocuous, however, these introductions, like long-distance introductions (e.g. trans- and intercontinental), can cause extinctions and alter the evolutionary trajectories of remaining community members. These 'local introductions' can also more cryptically homogenize formerly distinct populations within a species. We focus on several characteristics and the potential consequences of local introductions. First, local introductions are commonly successful because the species being introduced is compatible with existing abiotic and biotic conditions; many nearby communities differ because of historical factors and the absence of certain species is simply the result of barriers to dispersal. Moreover, the species with which they interact most strongly (e.g. prey) may have, for example, lost defences making the establishment even more likely. The loss or absence of defences is especially likely when the absent species is a strongly interacting species, which we argue often includes mammals in terrestrial communities. Second, the effects of the introduction may be difficult to detect because the community is likely to converge onto nearby communities that naturally have the introduced species (hence the perceived innocuousness). This homogenization of formerly distinct populations eliminates the geographic diversity of species interactions and the geographic potential for speciation, and reduces regional species diversity. We illustrate these ideas by focusing on the introduction of tree squirrels into formerly squirrel-less forest patches. Such introductions have eliminated incipient species of crossbills (Loxia spp.) co-evolving in arms races with conifers and will likely have considerable impacts on community structure and ecosystem processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Craig W Benkman
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
37
|
Molecular and Ecological Characterization of Extralimital Populations of Red-Legged Frogs from Western North America. J HERPETOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1670/07-303r1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
|