Re-wilding: no need for exotics as natives return

Dinerstein, Eric; Irvin, William Robert

doi:10.1038/437476a

Cited by 10 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Two criticisms are negative impacts on native biodiversity and incompatibility with human community structures (Shay 2005; Smith 2005). Others argue the measure is unnecessary because native megafaunal recovery and reintroduction in North America (i.e., bison [ Bison bison ]) is succeeding and restoring wild ecosystems (Dinerstein & Irvin 2005; Schlapher 2005). We argue that a major oversight in the rewilding proposal, as well as other approaches focused on restoring native herbivores, is neglecting to address historic disturbance regimes important to the evolution of flora and fauna in many grassland and savanna ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pyric Herbivory: Rewilding Landscapes through the Recoupling of Fire and Grazing

Fuhlendorf

Engle

Kerby

et al. 2009

Conservation Biology

439

448

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Our understanding of fire and grazing is largely based on small-scale experimental studies in which treatments are uniformly applied to experimental units that are considered homogenous. Any discussion of an interaction between fire and grazing is usually based on a statistical approach that ignores the spatial and temporal interactions on complex landscapes. We propose a new focus on the ecological interaction of fire and grazing in which each disturbance is spatially and temporally dependent on the other and results in a landscape where disturbance is best described as a shifting mosaic (a landscape with patches that vary with time since disturbance) that is critical to ecological structure and function of many ecosystems. We call this spatiotemporal interaction pyric herbivory (literal interpretation means grazing driven by fire). Pyric herbivory is the spatial and temporal interaction of fire and grazing, where positive and negative feedbacks promote a shifting pattern of disturbance across the landscape. We present data we collected from the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in the southern Great Plains of North America that demonstrates that the interaction between free-roaming bison (Bison bison) and random fires promotes heterogeneity and provides the foundation for biological diversity and ecosystem function of North American and African grasslands. This study is different from other studies of fire and grazing because the fires we examined were random and grazing animals were free to roam and select from burned and unburned patches. For ecosystems across the globe with a long history of fire and grazing, pyric herbivory with any grazing herbivore is likely more effective at restoring evolutionary disturbance patterns than a focus on restoring any large vertebrate while ignoring the interaction with fire and other disturbances.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pyric Herbivory: Rewilding Landscapes through the Recoupling of Fire and Grazing

Fuhlendorf

Engle

Kerby

et al. 2009

Conservation Biology

439

448

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Furthermore, particular aspects of translocation, such as disease screening, captivity, transport and release, can be stressful and increase the overall vulnerability of individuals, thereby decreasing the probability that the population will become self-sustaining [20] , [22] and ultimately the effectiveness of ecological replacements in restoring functional processes. All this raises ethical questions as to whether animals should be used in ecological replacements [23] and, since translocations can be expensive [13] , whether limited financial resources can justifiably be used on such programmes rather than reintroducing native species and protecting nature reserves [24] , [25] , [26] ?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whilst it is important to consider all four population processes (birth, death, immigration and emigration) that influence whether a population is self-sustaining [35] , we focus solely on births and deaths as immigration and emigration to and from these small islands is controlled and manipulated by humans. Furthermore, since there are many demands on conservation budgets [36] , and it has been argued that finances should be directed to reintroducing native species [24] , [25] , [26] , we report on the cost of each translocation as recommended by Fischer and Lindenmayer [13] .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Welfare Implications of Using Exotic Tortoises as Ecological Replacements

et al. 2012

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BackgroundEcological replacement involves the introduction of non-native species to habitats beyond their historical range, a factor identified as increasing the risk of failure for translocations. Yet the effectiveness and success of ecological replacement rely in part on the ability of translocatees to adapt, survive and potentially reproduce in a novel environment. We discuss the welfare aspects of translocating captive-reared non-native tortoises, Aldabrachelys gigantea and Astrochelys radiata, to two offshore Mauritian islands, and the costs and success of the projects to date.Methodology/Principal FindingsBecause tortoises are long-lived, late-maturing reptiles, we assessed the progress of the translocation by monitoring the survival, health, growth, and breeding by the founders. Between 2000 and 2011, a total of 26 A. gigantea were introduced to Ile aux Aigrettes, and in 2007 twelve sexually immature A. gigantea and twelve male A. radiata were introduced to Round Island, Mauritius. Annual mortality rates were low, with most animals either maintaining or gaining weight. A minimum of 529 hatchlings were produced on Ile aux Aigrettes in 11 years; there was no potential for breeding on Round Island. Project costs were low. We attribute the success of these introductions to the tortoises’ generalist diet, habitat requirements, and innate behaviour.Conclusions/SignificanceFeasibility analyses for ecological replacement and assisted colonisation projects should consider the candidate species’ welfare during translocation and in its recipient environment. Our study provides a useful model for how this should be done. In addition to serving as ecological replacements for extinct Mauritian tortoises, we found that releasing small numbers of captive-reared A. gigantea and A. radiata is cost-effective and successful in the short term. The ability to release small numbers of animals is a particularly important attribute for ecological replacement projects since it reduces the potential risk and controversy associated with introducing non-native species.

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Clinical Dilemmas in Diabetes

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Re-wilding: no need for exotics as natives return

Cited by 10 publications

References 1 publication

Pyric Herbivory: Rewilding Landscapes through the Recoupling of Fire and Grazing

Pyric Herbivory: Rewilding Landscapes through the Recoupling of Fire and Grazing

The Welfare Implications of Using Exotic Tortoises as Ecological Replacements

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