"A look at six triumphant instances where reintroducing crucial animal species has restored ecosystem balance worldwide"
In the realm of conservation, the concept of rewilding has emerged as a powerful tool in mitigating climate change. Rewilding, the process of bringing back keystone species and allowing natural processes to occur, plays a crucial role in supporting global biodiversity objectives, combating climate change, and ensuring a healthier planet for all living beings.
Keystone species, such as water buffaloes, plains bison, and Arctic muskoxen, play a critical role in maintaining ecosystem stability, promoting biodiversity, and enhancing carbon sequestration. These species, by their very presence, support healthy, functioning ecosystems—like forests, wetlands, and grasslands—that act as significant carbon sinks, capturing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide.
In the Danube Delta, the reintroduction of water buffaloes has had a significant impact. Since 18 water buffaloes were released onto Ermakov Island in May 2021, the number has grown to 19 due to a pregnant buffalo. This reintroduction has caused the delta to thrive with life, creating new habitats for various species and contributing to the overall health of the ecosystem.
In the Great Plains ecosystem, plains bison, historically numbering between 25 and 60 million, help cultivate vegetation and create habitats for other species through their diet and wallows. Although nearly driven to extinction in the 19th century, a recovery effort by a coalition of biologists and conservationists has grown the population to almost 5,000. The impact of these mighty beasts on the landscape can be seen from space.
In the Arctic, Arctic muskoxen, currently numbering around 170,000, significantly impact the carbon cycle. By grazing and digging through snow for food, they influence the ecosystem in ways that contribute to carbon sequestration. A study conducted between 2011 and 2013 revealed that the removal of muskoxen from test areas in Greenland resulted in plants absorbing only half as much carbon during the growing season.
Examples of keystone species with important ecological roles abound. In the UK, the reintroduction of Eurasian beavers has helped restore wetland ecosystems, reducing flood risks by up to 60% and creating carbon sinks by fostering new plant growth in wetlands. In marine environments, restoring keystone species like sea otters helps rebuild kelp forests, providing coastal protection and storing carbon efficiently. Community-based restoration of salmon habitats in the Pacific Northwest has increased salmon populations by 50%, demonstrating how integrating traditional knowledge and science supports ecosystem recovery and climate adaptation.
In India, elephants shape grassland ecosystems by controlling tree growth, while bees enhance plant growth through pollination. These species regulate ecosystem structure and function, thereby contributing to climate resilience.
In summary, keystone species help mitigate climate change by sustaining ecosystems that sequester carbon and buffer climate impacts, and rewilding projects that restore these species have demonstrated ecological and climate benefits globally. By reintroducing keystone species and allowing natural processes to occur, we can create a healthier, more resilient planet for all.
[1] Source: "Rewilding Europe: The Power of Rewilding for Climate Change" [2] Source: "Keystone Species: Their Role in Ecosystems and Conservation" [3] Source: "NOAA Fisheries: Restoring Keystone Species for a Healthier Ocean" [4] Source: "The Guardian: Rewilding: The Answer to Climate Change?"
- Science reveals that reintroducing keystone species, such as water buffaloes, plains bison, Arctic muskoxen, Eurasian beavers, sea otters, and elephants, as seen in various rewilding projects globally, contributes to scientific disciplines like environmental science, as their presence supports healthy ecosystems that sequester carbon, buffer climate impacts, and promote biodiversity.
- In addition to nature conservation, the restoration of keystone species also plays a significant role in health-and-wellness by fostering ecological balance and contributing to carbon sequestration, which indirectly helps combat medical-conditions linked to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- The impact of rewilding efforts on ecosystems, such as those observed in the Danube Delta, Great Plains, Arctic, UK, marine environments, and India, showcases the potential for environmental-science initiatives aimed at the restoration of keystone species and combating climate change to positively affect climate resilience and overall health-and-wellness of our planet.
