An old article from 2014-01-30 00:40. But still current. To affect the nature requires at least 4,000 wolves Published 2014-01-30 00:40 All about: The wolf in Sweden Misconceptions in the debate. The presence of predators may be elsewhere affect the rest of nature, but in Sweden it would not even several thousand wolves have significant impact on the ecological diversity. This is quite terms of the intensive agriculture and forestry, and this is discussed far too little, mean 15 ecologists. Misconceptions in the debate. The presence of predators may be elsewhere affect the rest of nature, but in Sweden it would not even several thousand wolves have significant impact on the ecological diversity. This is quite terms of the intensive agriculture and forestry, and this is discussed far too little, mean 15 ecologists. Several media outlets have recently reported on the major role of predators on earth, an important topic recently compiled in a scientific article in the prestigious journal Science. Topics importance is clear when it turns out that more than 60 percent of these species are endangered. Several writers have caught up on this and reflected on that wolves and humans do not hunt in the same way that more wolves would lead to more deciduous trees, increased biodiversity and additionally combat climate change. This is a very simplified picture if applied in Nordic conditions where human land use has a more crucial, as also mentioned in the Science article. In the center of the debate on predatory positive impacts discussed the effects of predators high in the food chain have on other species (so-called cascade effects). A known example is that after the wolves return to Yellowstone National Park in the US were also deciduous trees. More wolves ate more deer. Fewer deer meant more trees. More trees gave more insects, lichens and woodpeckers. Biological diversity increased. In debating the nature conservation and scientific community whether predators return and may even mitigate climate change. Because wolves eat elk, deer and deer leads to more forests that can absorb more carbon dioxide. In Sweden and in many other parts of the world hunt and consume humans large herbivores. Can not then a Swedish moose hunter be as important as the Swedish wolf to stop climate change? A crucial point is that predators influence in northern ecosystems, above all, have been demonstrated in large and relatively untouched national parks where neither forestry, agriculture or hunting is conducted. But when man has great impact on the ecosystem through its land use, the large predatory impact will be marginal. Sweden and the Nordic countries are examples of this. In the Nordic countries we see today cascade effects linked to the lynxs return. Small mammals and birds such as hares, capercaillie and black grouse appear to benefit from lynx occurrence, likely to lynx reduces the amount of foxes. For the wolf is a state other. We believe that the wolf opportunities to create cascading effects in our highly affected ecosystems are very small - that man right through land use has a big impact on the ecosystem as wolves affect and are affected by. We see three main reasons why the predators have limited importance in todays Nordic ecosystems. They can all be linked to human impact: 1 The number of trees would not increase significantly even if the moose would be reduced in number. Our collective wild deer population (moose, red deer, fallow deer and deer) graze together roughly 0.8 million tonnes shrubs and trees each year, mostly pine and birch. Forestry thinning and final felling takes at least 50 times more. It is therefore evident that mans land without competition has the greatest impact on our northern forests and ecosystems. 2 Current research shows that in many areas, not the moose to decrease in number due to the wolf, because the hunters hunt less in the newly established wolf territories which in some cases may even lead to more moose. 3 Large and significant losses of biodiversity in Sweden is not because we have too few trees but are largely linked to 70 percent of Swedens former meadows and pastures have disappeared, mainly planted with forest, mostly spruce. Our calculations suggest that it would require more than 4,000 wolves in Sweden, which hypothetically only eat elk, to retain the elk population at the current level, and thus also keep grazing pressure in the forest constant. To reduce the elk population is thus required an even bigger wolf population. It is significantly more wolves than you will find in the worlds undisturbed ecosystems and it would be likely to have a direct negative impact on the wolfs other more endangered prey species. The amount of deciduous trees are unlikely either to increase significantly, despite 4,000 wolves, because mainly conifers planted in clearings and priority when cleaning and thinning. Deer impacts on tree species will therefore also for this reason be limited. Sweden already has a remarkably low percentage of deciduous trees in the landscape compared to our neighboring countries (see map), even though Norway and Finland have fewer large predators. For us as ecologists, we see therefore that the major future issue for the design and function of the Scandinavian ecosystems lies in how we choose to engage in large-scale land use (agriculture and forestry). Finally: Globally, there is greater challenges for environmental and enhanced biodiversity than predatory potential cascading effects. Earths growing population and the consequences that follow from the use of fossil fuels, a high meat consumption, intensive agriculture and forestry affect more and are also important reasons for the large predators decreases globally. We also consider it from a Nordic perspective of diversity rather need to be more sensitive landscape herbivores as a resource for humans as prey for large carnivores and not least for cultural and biological diversity. Petter Kjellander, Professor, SLU Håkan Sand, Associate Professor, SLU Harry Andreassen, Professor, University of Hedmark, Norway Henrik Andrén, Professor, SLU Bodil Elmhagen, Associate Professor, University of Stockholm Göran Ericsson, Professor, SLU John D C Linnell, Senior Researcher, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Grzegorz Mikusinski, Associate Professor, SLU Athletic Mysterud, Professor, University of Oslo, Norway Johan Månsson, Associate Professor, SLU Jens Persson, Associate Professor, SLU Erling J. Solberg, Senior Researcher, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Carl-Gustaf Thulin, Associate Professor, Centre for fish and wildlife research, SLU Petter Wabakken, Associate Professor, University of Hedmark, Norway Camilla Wikenros, PhD, SLU Wolf in Sweden. Read more: Wassberg: Eradicate wolf Nearly 40 gets attacked by wolves Continued stop for wolf hunting Two wolves shot in Dalarna Appeals will not consider wolf hunting Wolf shot after attacking lambs New tours of Skåne wolf Appeal the decision wolf shooting 18, dead after wolf attack Wolf Committees proposals are welcomed Malformations increase in wolf population New wolf attacks in Skåne Want to shoot Kalmar-wolf 21, killed by wolves in Småland Culling of Junsele Wolf stopped Vargjakten County Administrative Board: so many wolves may be postponed New no to Skåne wolf hunting The right to hunt Junsele Wolf this year Swedish wolf seems to exhale Wolf hunting is stopped in winter Vargjakten appealed - again Go-ahead for the hunting of wolves in winter No to the culling of wolf in Kalmar Vargdom about culling appeal Reinfeldt spoke wolf with Barroso The court says no to wolf hunting New wolf hunting was stopped directly Vargjakten stopped temporarily Three wolves shot Hunter: We refuse to shoot wolves Wolf hunt destroys the eco-tourism Wolf pairs in Norrbotten moved southwards 16 wolves will be shot in winter Even a wolf killed in Jämtland Culling of three wolves in Värmland opinion To have but do not take responsibility Risk of illegal hunting of wolves The right side of the wolf Predators: Vulgar about wolves and research more about The government can intervene in the wolf issue Ready for new wolf hunting in Värmland 30 get killed by Värmland Wolf Two wolves in Stockholm area Alarm of wolves in Skärholmen Wolf shot after dog attacks Wolf territory has been empty all summer dn.se/debatt/for-att-paverka-naturen-kravs-minst-4000-vargar/
Posted on: Sat, 13 Dec 2014 14:43:33 +0000
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