Date: October 27, 2016
Source: Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences (SLU)
In most European countries there
are now permanent, reproducing populations of wolves, lynx and/or brown bears.
In some countries, all three. But it is not virgin land that these animals
recolonize, but rather lands that are characterized by high human activity.
In a review article in the
Proceedings of the Royal Society B a European research group highlights gaps in
knowledge on the effects of carnivores in human-dominated landscapes.
"There is a widespread
perception that the return of large predators will save biodiversity," says
Joris Cromsigt, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), who is one
of the authors. This view is partly based on experiences from Yellowstone
National Park. When wolves were reintroduced in this national park, grazing
pressure was reduced on the vegetation along the watercourses, which in turn
led to a richer flora and fauna. "However, in Europe predators are now
returning to landscapes that are strongly modified by humans. Man is part of
these ecosystems. Although we are not always physically present, these
landscapes are still heavily shaped by us, for example, through forestry and
hunting."
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