Is anyone aware of examples (successful or unsuccessful) of the use of vertebrates like raptors and snakes in ecological restoration efforts? The idea would be to erect structures that promote their use and thus increase predator abundance to reduce pressure by seed predators and grazers on vegetation response. There is recent lit. on this type of thing in crop systems (see link below), but not in replicated restoration experiments so far as I know.
Article Enhancing agricultural landscapes to increase crop pest redu...
This article on Researchgate seems useful: Article ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION FOR VERTEBRATES: ecosystems will not ...
Dear Aaron,
as you are familiar, I hope, the most famous is experience of reintroduction of wolf into the Yellowstone National Park in 1995-96. But in the USA existing much more examples. Some are described in: Edward E. Bangs and Steven H. Fritts Reintroducing the Gray Wolf to Central Idaho and Yellowstone National Park
http://wolfology1.tripod.com/id93.htm
May be yours question can be divided into two:
1) reintroduction after extinction (it is rare and very complicated)
2) man-caused increasing of population of a raptor for stabilization of ecosystem.
For me more familiar are aquatic experiments. In Ukraine existing practice of restoration the pike and other carnivorous fish populations esp in large reservoirs for solving (or even improving) the situation with blooming. It is known from basic Hydrobiology that for success in such purpose should elongate detrital food chain to mineralize more organic matter and decrease the populations of blue-green algae.
Andrey
Hello Aaron;
Picking up on Andrey's response...at the same time that wolves were being reintroduced into Yellowstone, so were beavers (Castor canadensis). Together these two species improved riparian habitats, to the benefit of many other species.
The wolves on Isle Royale, in Lake Superior, along the US/Canadian border fed on the moose on the island. The wolf population has dwindled to only a few inbred individuals with the result that moose numbers have boomed to the detriment of pond and riparian habitats. An attempt is currently under way to enhance the wolf population. You'll find many references to the project. Look up David Mech.
An agricultural example comes from the Central Valley of California. Barn Owls are major predators on gophers (Thomomys bottae). Around the periphery of crop fields growers erect nest boxes on poles for the owls. That increases owl density and lowers gopher densities.
It's an interesting question, Jim Des Lauriers
Hello to you Andrey Kovalchuk
There was a regional project here in the region, aiming at restoring the eagle owl populations in Israel; Jordan and Palestine; and increasing the predation on the field rats attacking the field crops.
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