Rewilding: Science, Practice, and Politics

Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 40(1), P. 39 - 62

Published: Sept. 2, 2015

Rewilding is being promoted as an ambitious alternative to current approaches nature conservation. Interest growing in popular and scientific literatures, rewilding the subject of significant comment debate, outstripping research conservation practice. Projects are found world over, with concentrations Europe, North America, on tropical islands. A common aim maintain, or increase, biodiversity, while reducing impact present past human interventions through restoration species ecological processes. The term has been applied diverse concepts practices. We review historical emergence its various overlapping meanings, aims, approaches, illustrate this a description four flagship case studies. science centered three different baselines: Pleistocene, Holocene, novel contemporary ecosystems. choice baseline differing implications for variety contexts. projects involve range practical components—such passive management, reintroduction, taxon substitution—some which have attracted criticism. They also raise series political, social, ethical concerns where they conflict more established forms environmental management. In conclusion, we summarize goals, tools, contexts that account variations identify priorities future

Language: Английский

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Ecological and evolutionary legacy of megafauna extinctions

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 93(2), P. 845 - 862

Published: Oct. 9, 2017

ABSTRACT For hundreds of millions years, large vertebrates (megafauna) have inhabited most the ecosystems on our planet. During late Quaternary, notably during Late P leistocene and early H olocene, Earth experienced a rapid extinction large, terrestrial vertebrates. While much attention has been paid to understanding causes this massive megafauna extinction, less given impacts loss other organisms with whom they interacted. In review, we discuss how disrupted reshaped ecological interactions, explore consequences ongoing decline Numerous Quaternary extinct species predators, parasites, commensals mutualistic partners were associated probably lost due their strict dependence upon them (co‐extinctions). Moreover, many extant megafauna‐adapted traits that provided evolutionary benefits under past megafauna‐rich conditions, but are now no or limited use (anachronisms). Morphological evolution behavioural changes allowed some these partially overcome absence megafauna. Although led number co‐extinction events, several likely co‐evolved established new interactions humans domestic animals. Species highly specialized in megafauna, such as commensalists (e.g. scavengers, dung beetles), could not adapt hosts prey more die out. Partners dependent persisted because plasticity by shifting dependency via domestication, facilitation pathogen spill‐over, through We argue Anthropocene will catalyse another wave co‐extinctions enormous diversity key functional roles

Language: Английский

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The role of farm animals in a circular food system

Global Food Security, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 21, P. 18 - 22

Published: June 1, 2019

If we use farm animals for what they are good at - converting by-products from the food system and grass resources into valuable manure can contribute significantly to human supply, while same time reducing environmental impact of entire system. By these so-called low-opportunity-cost feeds, recycle biomass nutrients that would otherwise be lost production. Rearing under this circular paradigm, however, requires a transition our current linear towards one. Here present biophysical concept role in system, essential meeting dietary recommendations within boundaries planet.

Language: Английский

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The Concept of the Anthropocene

Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 42(1), P. 77 - 104

Published: Sept. 11, 2017

The Anthropocene, the concept that Earth has moved into a novel geological epoch characterized by human domination of planetary system, is an increasingly prevalent framework for debate both in academia and as wider cultural policy zeitgeist. This article reviews proliferation literature surrounding this concept. It explores origins history concept, well arguments its formalization starting date ranging from Pleistocene to twentieth century. examines perspectives critiques system sciences, ecological social sciences humanities, exploring role zeitgeist ideological provocation. I conclude offering personal perspective on Anthropocene utility.

Language: Английский

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Fear of the human “super predator” far exceeds the fear of large carnivores in a model mesocarnivore

Behavioral Ecology, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. arw117 - arw117

Published: July 19, 2016

The fear (perceived predation risk) large carnivores inspire in mesocarnivores can affect ecosystem structure and function, loss of the "landscape fear" create adds to concerns regarding worldwide carnivores. Fear humans has been proposed act as a substitute, but new research identifies "super predator" globally far more lethal mesocarnivores, thus presumably frightening. Although much world now consists human-dominated landscapes, there remains relatively little how behavioral responses trophic networks, extent that no study yet experimentally tested relative fearfulness demonstrate reaction versus nonhuman predators. Badgers (Meles meles) Britain are model mesocarnivore insofar they longer need native (bears, Ursus arctos; wolves, Canis lupus) perhaps more. We badgers demonstrated audio playbacks extant (dog) extinct (bear wolf) carnivores, humans, by assaying suppression foraging behavior. Hearing affected latency feed, vigilance, time, number feeding visits, feeding. dogs bears had lesser effects on hearing wolves effects. Our results indicate evidently cannot substitute for because perceived frightening, which we discuss light recovery landscapes.

Language: Английский

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Mammal diversity will take millions of years to recover from the current biodiversity crisis

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 115(44), P. 11262 - 11267

Published: Oct. 15, 2018

Significance Biodiversity is more than the number of species on Earth. It also amount unique evolutionary history in tree life. We find that losses this phylogenetic diversity (PD) are disproportionally large mammals compared with have recently gone extinct. This lost PD can only be restored time as lineages evolve and create new history. Without coordinated conservation, it will likely take millions years for to naturally recover from biodiversity they predicted endure over next 50 y. However, by prioritizing we could potentially save billions important ecological functions may represent.

Language: Английский

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Contributions of Quaternary botany to modern ecology and biogeography

Plant Ecology & Diversity, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 12(3-4), P. 189 - 385

Published: May 4, 2019

Quaternary (last 2.6 million years) botany involves studying plant megafossils (e.g. tree stumps), macrofossils seeds, leaves), and microfossils pollen, spores) preserved in peat bogs lake sediments. Although have been studied since the late eighteenth century, today is largely dominated by pollen analysis.Quaternary analysis just over 100 years old. It started primarily as a geological tool for correlation, relative dating, climate reconstruction. In 1950 major advance occurred with publication Knut Fægri Johs Iversen of their Text-book Modern Pollen Analysis which provided foundations botanical ecological past dynamics biota biotic systems. The development radiocarbon dating 1950s freed from being dating. As result these developments, became valuable implement long-term ecology biogeography.Selected contributions that has made to biogeography are reviewed. They fall into four general parts: (1) aspects interglacial glacial stages such location nature glacial-stage refugia soil glaciated unglaciated areas; (2) responses environmental change (spreading, extinction, persistence, adaptation); (3) topics potential niches, vegetation, forest dynamics; (4) its application human impact tropical systems, conservation changing world, island palaeoecology, plant–animal interactions, biodiversity patterns time.The future briefly discussed 10 suggestions presented help strengthen it links biogeography. much contribute when used conjunction new approaches ancient-DNA, molecular biomarkers, multi-proxy palaeoecology.

Language: Английский

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Alternative Biome States in Terrestrial Ecosystems

Trends in Plant Science, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 25(3), P. 250 - 263

Published: Jan. 6, 2020

Language: Английский

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Four priority areas to advance invasion science in the face of rapid environmental change

Environmental Reviews, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 29(2), P. 119 - 141

Published: Dec. 7, 2020

Unprecedented rates of introduction and spread non-native species pose burgeoning challenges to biodiversity, natural resource management, regional economies, human health. Current biosecurity efforts are failing keep pace with globalization, revealing critical gaps in our understanding response invasions. Here, we identify four priority areas advance invasion science the face rapid global environmental change. First, should strive develop a more comprehensive framework for predicting how behavior, abundance, interspecific interactions vary relation conditions receiving environments these factors govern ecological impacts invasion. A second is understand potential synergistic effects multiple co-occurring stressors— particularly involving climate change—on establishment impact species. Climate adaptation mitigation strategies will need consider possible consequences promoting species, appropriate management responses be developed. The third address taxonomic impediment. ability detect evaluate risks compromised by growing deficit expertise, which cannot adequately compensated new molecular technologies alone. Management become increasingly challenging unless academia, industry, governments train employ personnel taxonomy systematics. Fourth, recommend that internationally cooperative bridgehead dispersal networks, organisms tend invade regions from locations where they have already established. Cooperation among countries eradicate or control established yield greater benefit than independent attempts individual exclude arriving establishing.

Language: Английский

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The megabiota are disproportionately important for biosphere functioning

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 11(1)

Published: Feb. 4, 2020

A prominent signal of the Anthropocene is extinction and population reduction megabiota-the largest animals plants on planet. However, we lack a predictive framework for sensitivity megabiota during times rapid global change how they impact functioning ecosystems biosphere. Here, extend metabolic scaling theory use simulation models to demonstrate that (i) are more prone due human land use, hunting, climate change; (ii) loss has negative ecosystem metabolism functioning; (iii) their will continue significantly decrease biosphere functioning. Global simulations show continued large alone could lead 44%, 18% 92% in terrestrial heterotrophic biomass, metabolism, fertility respectively. Our findings suggest policies emphasize promotion trees have disproportionate biodiversity, processes, mitigation.

Language: Английский

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