Trophic rewilding can expand natural climate solutions

Schmitz, Oswald J.; Sylvén, Magnus; Atwood, Trisha B.; Bakker, Elisabeth S.; Brodie, Jedediah F.; Cromsigt, Joris P. G. M.; Davies, Andrew B.; Leroux, Shawn J.; Schepers, Frans; Smith, Felisa A.; Stark, Sari; Svenning, Jens‐Christian; Tilker, Andrew; Ylänne, Henni

doi:10.1038/s41558-023-01631-6

Cited by 38 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 106 publications

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“…Several authors have suggested that the restoration of wild animal populations (i.e. rewilding) may be an effective natural climate solution by accelerating the carbon uptake of ecosystems (Schmitz et al 2014, Cromsigt et al 2018, Malhi et al 2022), also referred to as ‘animating the carbon cycle' (Schmitz et al 2018, 2023). Quantifying the impacts of large grazers on SOC is thus key to understanding and predicting how their management and restoration can contribute to natural climate solutions in wild grassland and savanna systems (Cromsigt et al 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing in a megagrazer‐dominated savanna does not reduce soil carbon stocks, even at high intensities

Hyvarinen,

te Beest,

le Roux

et al. 2023

Oikos

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Recent studies suggest that wild animals can promote ecosystem carbon sinks through their impacts on vegetation and soils. However, livestock studies show that intense levels of grazing reduce soil organic carbon (SOC), leading to concerns that rewilding with large grazers may compromise ecosystem carbon storage. Furthermore, wild grazers can both limit and promote woody plant recruitment and survival on savanna grasslands, with both positive and negative impacts on SOC, depending on the rainfall and soil texture contexts. We used grazing lawns in one of the few African protected savannas that are still dominated by megagrazers (> 1000 kg), namely white rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum, as a model to study the impact of prolonged and intense wild grazing on SOC stocks. We contrasted SOC stocks between patches of varying grazing intensity and woody plant encroachment in sites across different rhino habitat types. We found no differences in SOC stocks between the most‐ and least grazed plots in any of the habitats. Intermediately grazed plots, however, had higher SOC stocks in the top 5 cm compared to most and least grazed plots, but only in the closed‐canopy woodland habitat and not in the open habitats. Importantly, we found no evidence to support the hypothesis that wild grazing reduces SOC, even at high grazing intensities by the world's largest megagrazer. Compared to the non‐encroached reference plots, woody encroached plots had higher SOC stocks in soils with low clay content and lower SOC stocks in soils with high clay content, although only in the top 5 cm. Accordingly, our study highlights that wild grazers may influence SOC indirectly through their impact on tree‐grass ratios in grassy ecosystems. Our study thus provides important insights for future natural climate solutions that focus on wild grazer conservation and restoration.Keywords: fire, grazing impact, rewilding, soil carbon, white rhinoceros, woody encroachment

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Grazing in a megagrazer‐dominated savanna does not reduce soil carbon stocks, even at high intensities

Hyvarinen,

te Beest,

le Roux

et al. 2023

Oikos

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“…decad eonre stora tion. org), given the ongoing defaunation in the Anthropocene (Dirzo et al, 2014;Schmitz et al, 2023;Young et al, 2016). This holds particularly true for the world's large carnivores, who play key functional roles in ecosystems (Ripple et al, 2014), yet have been extirpated over much of their historical ranges in the past (Chapron et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding habitat selection of range‐expanding populations of large carnivores: 20 years of grey wolves (Canis lupus) recolonizing Germany

Planillo,

Wenzler‐Meya,

Reinhardt

et al. 2023

Diversity and Distributions

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AimThe non‐stationarity in habitat selection of expanding populations poses a significant challenge for spatial forecasting. Focusing on the grey wolf (Canis lupus) natural recolonization of Germany, we compared the performance of different distribution modelling approaches for predicting habitat suitability in unoccupied areas. Furthermore, we analysed whether grey wolf showed non‐stationarity in habitat selection in newly colonized areas, which will impact the predictions for potential habitat.LocationGermany.MethodsUsing telemetry data as presence points, we compared the predictive performance of five modelling approaches based on combinations of distribution modelling algorithms—GLMM, MaxEnt and ensemble modelling—and two background point selection strategies. We used a homogeneous Poisson point process to draw background points from either the minimum convex polygons derived from telemetry or the whole area known to be occupied by wolves. Models were fit to the data of the first years and validated against independent data representing the expansion of the species. The best‐performing approach was then used to further investigate non‐stationarity in the species' response in spatiotemporal restricted datasets that represented different colonization steps.ResultsWhile all approaches performed similarly when evaluated against a subset of the data used to fit the models, the ensemble model based on integrated data performed best when predicting range expansion. Models for subsequent colonization steps differed substantially from the global model, highlighting the non‐stationarity of wolf habitat selection towards human disturbance during the colonization process.Main ConclusionsWhile telemetry‐only data overfitted the models, using all available datasets increased the reliability of the range expansion forecasts. The non‐stationarity in habitat selection pointed to wolves settling in the best areas first, and filling in nearby lower‐quality habitat as the population increases. Our results caution against spatial extrapolation and space‐for‐time substitutions in habitat models, at least with expanding species.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Terrestrial mammalian herbivore species shape ecosystems, alter vegetation and soil functioning, change plant biodiversity, and accelerate carbon and nutrient turnovers (Malhi et al, 2016; Schmitz et al, 2023). In particular, herbivores heavier than 5 kg (Berzaghi et al, 2018) (also called large) influence carbon cycling and biosphere-atmosphere feedbacks (Berzaghi et al, 2023; Norris et al, 2020; Schmitz et al, 2023). Much less is known about the role of lighter terrestrial herbivorous mammals (body mass < 5 kg), in spite of their effects on plant diversity, vegetation structure, and soil physio-chemical properties (Bomske & Ahlers, 2021; Gordon & Prins, 2019; Poe et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Range contractions and local extinctions prompt for a better understanding of mammals’ multifaceted ecological role and repercussion on ecosystem functioning. This knowledge is needed to guide conservation and trophic rewilding and to restore mammals-driven ecosystem services (e.g., reducing wildfires, increasing nutrients cycling, and enhancing carbon storage) which could contribute to mitigating climate change (Cromsigt Joris P. G. M. et al, 2018; Malhi et al, 2022; Schmitz et al, 2023). Extinction or decline is evaluated often in terms of changes in species richness, absolute abundance, or density per unit area within a locality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trait-based mechanistic approach highlights global patterns and losses of herbivore biomass functional diversity

Zhu

Alroy

Ciais³

2021

Preprint

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Terrestrial mammalian herbivores strongly shape ecosystems and influence Earth system processes. Herbivorous mammals can alter vegetation structure, accelerate nutrient distribution, and modify carbon cycling. The Late Pleistocene megafauna extinctions triggered significant changes in ecosystems and climate, and current extinctions are having similarly pervasive consequences. A lack of global dynamic models of mammal populations limits our understanding of the ecological role of wild mammals and the consequences of their past and future extinctions. Here we present a global model of herbivore mammal populations defined by their ecological role based on a classification of all extant herbivores (n = 2599) in 24 functional groups. The eco-physiological model predicts present-day mammal biomass in natural conditions. Biomass hotspots occur in areas today dominated by humans, which account for 30% of biomass loss and limit future rewilding potentials. Large herbivore (body mass > 5 kg) biomass is higher in hot and wet areas with high evapotranspiration. Conversely, small herbivore biomass is more evenly distributed, particularly in colder climates. Thus, energy-water dependency is higher in large herbivores than smaller ones. Negative deviations from the biomass and water-energy relationship unveil past extinction patterns. Late Pleistocene extinctions may have triggered a collapse of biomass in Australia and South America and heavy losses in North America and northern Asia. The herbivore biomass estimates provide a quantitative benchmark for conservation and management actions. The herbivore model and the functional classification create new opportunities to integrate mammals into Earth system science.

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Trophic rewilding can expand natural climate solutions

Cited by 38 publications

References 106 publications

Grazing in a megagrazer‐dominated savanna does not reduce soil carbon stocks, even at high intensities

Grazing in a megagrazer‐dominated savanna does not reduce soil carbon stocks, even at high intensities

Understanding habitat selection of range‐expanding populations of large carnivores: 20 years of grey wolves (Canis lupus) recolonizing Germany

Trait-based mechanistic approach highlights global patterns and losses of herbivore biomass functional diversity

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