Rewilding Scotland By Chris Sandom Photos: C. Sandom
Photos: C. Sandom All I see is work
Rewilding = The restoration of natural processes BIODIVERSITY NATURAL SUSTAINABILITY ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Photo: C. Sandom
Three Facets of Rewilding Ecosystem Function (Spared Core Areas) Ecosystem Service (Shared land Connectivity) Urban Wilding (Hearts & Minds)
Community Assembly Rules
Loss of species impoverished ecosystem
With that in mind, how do we rewild this system?
The location Sandom et al., (2012) In Fencing for conserva.on: Restric.on of evolu.onary poten.al or a riposte to threatening processes? Photo: C. Sandom
Ecosystem Architecture Predators Hominins Lion, Leopard, SpoOed hyaena Eurasian brown bear, Wolf, Lynx, Wolverine Red fox, Pine marten, Wild cat, OOer Polecat, Stoat, Weasel, Brown rat, American Mink Prey/Herbivores Straight tusked elephant, Hippopotamus, Forest rhino Bison, Aurochs, Horse, European elk Badger, Wild boar, Red deer, Roe deer, Beaver, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Chinese water deer, Reeves muntjac, Red- necked wallaby Mountain hare, Brown hare, Rabbit Field vole, Red squirrel, Water vole, Bank vole, Hazel dormouse, Wood mouse, Yellow- necked mouse, Grey squirrel, Orkney vole, Black rat, Edible dormouse, Harvest mouse, House mouse ExBncBons and introducbons have resulted in a large herbivore dominated system
Photo: C. Sandom
What should we reintroduce? Predators Hominins Lion, Leopard, SpoOed hyaena Eurasian brown bear, Wolf, Lynx, Wolverine Red fox, Pine marten, Wild cat Polecat, Stoat, Weasel, Brown rat, American Mink Prey/Herbivores Straight tusked elephant, Hippopotamus, Forest rhino Bison, Aurochs, Horse, European elk Red deer, Roe deer, Beaver, Wild boar, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Chinese water deer, Reeves muntjac, Red- necked wallaby Mountain hare, Brown hare, Rabbit Field vole, Red squirrel, Water vole, Bank vole, Hazel dormouse, Wood mouse, Yellow- necked mouse, Grey squirrel, Orkney vole, Black rat, Edible dormouse, Harvest mouse, House mouse ExBncBons and introducbons have resulted in a large herbivore dominated system
Sequential Reintroduction of Species Wolf Boar Beaver ToBpotent state
What impact on deer density? 0 50 100 150 0 5 10 15 20 25 Maximum wolf density (/1000 km 2) Minimum deer density (/ km 2) (a) Bull et al.(submioed) Modelling whether fences can increase likelihood that the reintroducbon of an apex predator leads to funcbonal rewilding. Range of outcomes possible. Probably variable over Bme. Self- willed ecosystems.
At what rate do wild boar root? Sandom et al. (2013) Restora.on Ecology 21(3):329-335.
What should we reintroduce? Predators Hominins Lion, Leopard, SpoOed hyaena Eurasian brown bear, Wolf, Lynx, Wolverine Red fox, Pine marten, Wild cat Polecat, Stoat, Weasel, Brown rat, American Mink Prey/Herbivores Straight tusked elephant, Hippopotamus, Forest rhino Bison, Aurochs, Horse, European elk Red deer, Roe deer, Beaver, Wild boar, Sika deer, Fallow deer, Chinese water deer, Reeves muntjac, Red- necked wallaby Mountain hare, Brown hare, Rabbit Field vole, Red squirrel, Water vole, Bank vole, Hazel dormouse, Wood mouse, Yellow- necked mouse, Grey squirrel, Orkney vole, Black rat, Edible dormouse, Harvest mouse, House mouse ExBncBons and introducbons have resulted in a large herbivore dominated system
Restoring the system to a totipotent state?? Photos: C. Sandom Photos: M. Hansen
Photo: C. Sandom Thank You Prof. Jens-Christian Svenning Dr. Rasmus Ejrnæs Morten D.D. Hansen Dr. Søren Faurby Dr. Brody Sandel Paul Lister Hugh Fullerton-Smith Innes McNeil David Clark And everyone there Prof. David Macdonald Dr. Joelene Hughes Joe Bull Funding: 15. Juni Fonden European Nature Trust
Questions Is it natural and typical to have a non-top down impacted large herbivore guild? If so, if total biomass of mega, large, meso herbivores is the same is there a difference in ecosystem function? If we want to establish a system that is biodiverse, rich in ecosystem services and selfsustainingly totipotent what species should we reintroduce and in what sequence?