Human-induced ecological cascades: Extinction, restoration, and rewilding in the Galápagos highlands

Bush, Mark B.; Conrad, Shelby; Restrepo, Alejandra; Thompson, D. M.; Löfverström, Marcus; Conroy, Jessica L.

doi:10.1073/pnas.2203752119

Cited by 10 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(60 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Especially on islands, where expensive conservation and restoration efforts are being undertaken to preserve native biodiversity and recover unique ecosystems (e.g. Jones et al, 2016), the establishment of such baselines is imperative to inform such efforts (Barak et al, 2016; Bush et al, 2022; Nogué et al, 2017; Willis & Birks, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the archipelago had already been discovered in 1573 AD, the scarcity of freshwater hampered permanent colonization. Nevertheless, earlier occasional visits by pirates, mariners and whalers impacted the vegetation by both accidentally and intentionally introducing non‐native species long before the onset of permanent settlements in the nineteenth century (Bush et al, 2022). Furthermore, pollen records from islands that were never permanently settled but temporarily exploited by humans for resources have also revealed plant introductions, such as the subantarctic Auckland Islands, demonstrating the sensitivity of the method (Wilmshurst et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to human‐mediated introductions, it is important to consider other environmental factors, such as legacies of land‐use change, local extinctions of species, ecological cascading effects or ecosystem conversion by introduced mammals. These are just some examples of potential drivers considered to be causing increases in non‐native plant species (Anderson et al, 2011; Bush et al, 2022; Castilla‐Beltrán et al, 2020; Fernández‐Palacios et al, 2021; Kueffer et al, 2010; Prebble et al, 2019). Furthermore, interrelations between natural forces, such as climate change (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Palaeoecological approaches have already been successful in reconstructing how island vegetation responded to climate change and initial human settlements, for example, on the islands of La Gomera (Canary Islands, Nogué et al, 2013) and São Nicolau (Cabo Verde, Castilla‐Beltrán et al, 2020). Such analyses provide information on biodiversity baselines and trajectories of change after human colonization, both important to inform conservation management and policy and to understand the future direction of this biodiversity change (Bush et al, 2022; Castilla‐Beltrán et al, 2020; Nogué et al, 2017; van Leeuwen et al, 2008; Willis & Birks, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Long‐term trajectories of non‐native vegetation on islands globally

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human‐mediated changes in island vegetation are, among others, largely caused by the introduction and establishment of non‐native species. However, data on past changes in non‐native plant species abundance that predate historical documentation and censuses are scarce. Islands are among the few places where we can track human arrival in natural systems allowing us to reveal changes in vegetation dynamics with the arrival of non‐native species. We matched fossil pollen data with botanical status information (native, non‐native), and quantified the timing, trajectories and magnitude of non‐native plant vegetational change on 29 islands over the past 5000 years. We recorded a proportional increase in pollen of non‐native plant taxa within the last 1000 years. Individual island trajectories are context‐dependent and linked to island settlement histories. Our data show that non‐native plant introductions have a longer and more dynamic history than is generally recognized, with critical implications for biodiversity baselines and invasion biology.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Long‐term trajectories of non‐native vegetation on islands globally

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, rewilding herbivores in areas without top predators or competitors or where there are unnatural food sources may lead to hyperabundances and ecological issues, such as erosion or overgrazing (Jørgensen, 2015; Corlett, 2016). Fortunately, efforts to understand the dynamics surrounding rewilding as a conservation technique are mounting (Bakker & Svenning, 2018; Pettorelli et al, 2018; Tanentzap & Smith, 2018; Bush et al, 2022) and the focus is shifting towards acquiring more empirical data on the viability of rewilding as a conservation technique (Perino et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rewilding in Southeast Asia: Singapore as a case study

Lamperty

Chiok

Khoo

et al. 2023

Conservat Sci and Prac

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Re‐establishing extirpated wildlife—or “rewilding”—is touted as a way to restore biodiversity and ecosystem processes, but we lack real‐world examples of this process, particularly in Southeast Asia. Here, we use a decade of aggregated camera trap data, N‐mixture occupancy models, and input from local wildlife experts to describe the unassisted recolonization of two native large herbivores in Singapore. Sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) escaped from captivity (in private or public zoos) in the 1970s and contemporary camera trap data show they have only colonized nearby forest fragments and their abundance remains low. Wild pigs (Sus scrofa), in contrast, naturally recolonized by swimming from Malaysia in the 1990s and have rapidly expanded their range and abundance across Singapore. While wild pigs have not recolonized all viable green spaces yet, their trajectory indicates they soon will. We also note that a third ungulate, the muntjac deer (Muntiacus muntjak), was captured in camera trapping in 2014 and 2015 but was never recorded afterward despite increased sampling effort, and thus we do not focus on their presumably unsuccessful recolonization. The divergent rewilding trajectories between sambar deer and wild pigs suggest different conservation outcomes and management requirements. Sambar deer may restore lost plant–animal interactions such as herbivory and seed dispersal without requiring significant management. Wild pigs, in contrast, have reached high numbers rapidly and may require active management to avoid hyperabundance and negative ecological impacts in regions, such as Singapore that lack both hunting and large predators.

show abstract