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Ambio2020; 50(1); 101-112; doi: 10.1007/s13280-020-01320-0

Experimental rewilding may restore abandoned wood-pastures if policy allows.

Abstract: Large herbivores play key roles in terrestrial ecosystems. Continuous defaunation processes have produced cascade effects on plant community composition, vegetation structure, and even climate. Wood-pastures were created by traditional management practices that have maintained open structures and biodiversity for millennia. In Europe, despite the broad recognition of their biological importance, such landscapes are declining due to land-use changes. This calls for finding urgent solutions for wood-pasture conservation. To test whether introducing an ecological replacement of an extinct wild horse could have positive effects on wood-pasture restoration, we designed a 3-year rewilding experiment. Horses created a more open wood-pasture structure by browsing on seedlings and saplings, affected tree composition via selective browsing and controlled the colonization of woody vegetation in grassland-dominated areas. Thus, rewilding could be a potential avenue for wood-pasture restoration and biodiversity conservation. However, such benefits may not materialize without a necessary paradigm and political shift.
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Publication Date: 2020-03-09 PubMed ID: 32152907PubMed Central: PMC7708577DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01320-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research explores the potential benefits of rewilding, using horses as an ecological replacement for an extinct species, in restoring the wood-pasture landscapes in Europe, and discusses implications for policy changes.

Overview of Research

The study deals with the concept of rewilding – reintroducing species into the ecosystem to restore nature to its original state. The researchers conducted a three-year rewilding experiment, where horses were introduced into wood-pastures as an ecological replacement for an extinct wild species. The focus was on the European wood-pastures, a type of cultural landscape maintained by traditional management practices for a long time but has been experiencing decline due to land-use changes.

Role of Large Herbivores in Terrestrial Ecosystems

  • Large herbivores play key roles in maintaining the structure and composition of terrestrial ecosystems. These animals particularly impact plant community composition, vegetation structure, and can even influence the climate.
  • Defaunation, or the loss of animal species from ecological communities, has negative cascade effects on these ecosystems.

Challenges and Urgent Need for Conservation

  • The research emphasizes the declining state of wood-pastures in Europe, mainly due to changes in land use.
  • While the biological importance of these landscapes is widely recognized, effective measures for their conservation are urgently needed.

Findings from the Rewilding Experiment

  • Throughout the three-year experiment, it was observed that the introduction of horses had multiple positive impacts on the wood-pasture ecosystems.
  • By browsing on seedlings and saplings, the horses aided in creating a more open structure in the wood-pasture without changing the composition of the tree population.
  • Additionally, they controlled the colonization of woody vegetation in areas primarily dominated by grassland.

Rewilding as a Potential Avenue for Conservation

  • The findings suggest that rewilding could serve as a viable avenue for restoring wood-pastures and conserving biodiversity.
  • However, the researchers argue that realizing these benefits requires a shift in paradigm and political approach. This implies that without an aligned policy, the potential benefits from rewilding may not be fully actualized.

Cite This Article

APA
Garrido P, Edenius L, Mikusiński G, Skarin A, Jansson A, Thulin CG. (2020). Experimental rewilding may restore abandoned wood-pastures if policy allows. Ambio, 50(1), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01320-0

Publication

Ambio
ISSN: 1654-7209
NlmUniqueID: 0364220
Country: Sweden
Language: English
Volume: 50
Issue: 1
Pages: 101-112

Researcher Affiliations

Garrido, Pablo
  • School for Forest Management, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 739 21, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden. garrido.pei@gmail.com.
  • Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden. garrido.pei@gmail.com.
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden. garrido.pei@gmail.com.
Edenius, Lars
  • Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
Mikusiński, Grzegorz
  • School for Forest Management, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 739 21, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden.
  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden.
Skarin, Anna
  • Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
Jansson, Anna
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
Thulin, Carl-Gustaf
  • Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden.
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Biodiversity
  • Conservation of Natural Resources
  • Ecosystem
  • Europe
  • Horses
  • Policy
  • Wood

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Citations

This article has been cited 6 times.
  1. Auffret AG, Svenning JC. Climate warming has compounded plant responses to habitat conversion in northern Europe. Nat Commun 2022 Dec 19;13(1):7818.
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