Answer

Ecology and the Environment

Define ecological restoration, reintroduction, and rewilding. (2 pts)

Answer

Ecological restoration implies returning of an ecosystem to its initial characteristics and ways (Corlett 453).

Ecological reintroduction implies returning of traditional species to an area where they used to thrive (Corlett 453).

Rewilding implies returning of a particular managed area back to its wild state (Corlett 453).

Briefly describe how the goals and history of rewilding differ between Europe and North America. How might other countries/continents address rewilding? (3 pts)

Answer

            Rewilding in North America was characterized by restoration of connected, large wilderness areas that could support wide-ranging, large animals with particular focus on carnivores. While other characteristics of rewilding in Europe were maintained, carnivores were de-emphasized. Absence of sustained human intervention has not been emphasized in North America while the same aspect has been emphasized in Europe. Other countries can address rewilding through utilization of sustained human intervention to ensure balance of the ecosystem. Besides, rewilding approaches in other countries should be future oriented (Corlett 455).

 How has the Anthropocene changed the way researchers think about restoration and rewilding? (2 pts)

Answer

It has informed researchers that human activities can have major impact on the global environment. Human activities can lead to irreversible ecological changes in the environment making ecological interventions ineffective (Corlett 454).

When conserving or reintroducing species there are tradeoffs. In an ecosystem where both a specialist species with a unique ecological function and a generalist species with a common ecological function are at risk of extinction, which should wildlife managers choose to conserve and why? (2 pts)

Answer

            If specialist and generalist species are at risk of extinction, wildlife managers should conserve both species so as to maintain ecological biodiversity (Corlett 458).

What is one challenges that a species may face when they are reintroduced to their previous native range? And what is a challenge they may face when released outside of the native range? (2 pts)

Answer

            One challenge that a species may face when reintroduced to their previous native range is ecological biodegradation while they may face lack of interconnectedness when released outside the native range (Corlett 455).

What are the arguments for and against sustained intervention? How does this fit into the ideas of restoration and rewilding? (3 pts)

Answer

Argument for sustained intervention is that it can help minimize human-wildlife conflicts. Reduction of human-wildlife conflicts is the aim of conservation biology (Corlett 457).

Argument against sustained intervention is that it can result into unintended consequences such as introduction of invasive species. Ecosystems need to evolve free of human control (Corlett 457).

What are some intervention strategies we can used to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem  function? (2 pts)

Answer

Sustained human intervention (Corlett 457).

Control of invasive species (Corlett 457).

Stopping human encroachment of forests and wild areas (Corlett 458).

What two things does Cortlett identify as important to the success of efforts to reconcile people and nature? Provide a description of each. (2 pts)

Answer

Maintaining biodiversity-rich multifunctional landscapes at continental and regional scales (Corlett 459).

Maintaining large low-intervention rewilded areas (Corlett 459).