itself better through its own ecological processes than through support from humans.
Meanwhile it has become evident that, for example, many islands or protected areas
on islands with introduced animals such as goat, pig, dog, cat or rat would have a
long-lasting problem if these are not eradicated prior to reducing the influence of
humans (Diamond 1985; Rodríguez et al. 2006; Whittaker and Fernández-Palacios
2007).
In some parts of the National Park Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft in Germany, everything including hunting and walking is forbidden, resulting in extremely
large populations of boar, fox and other native and exotic predators and omnivores.
In these regions, it is extremely difficult to find ground-breeding coastal birds in the
open habitats—dunes, saltmarshes, beaches—which they normally prefer. As a
consequence, habitats of coastal ground-breeding birds are partially protected by
electric fences.
Thus, conservationists and organizations should decide about the intended main
goal—wilderness, the survival of native species, or the support of threatened target
species. To reduce the influence of humans might be a good idea sometimes.
However, in every case the effect of decreasing human influence and abandonment
should be carefully observed with respect to the primary goal.
3.8 Restoration Measures and Experiments with New
Habitats
Restoration ecology emerged as branch of ecology in the second half of the twentieth
century, and focuses on ecological, landscape or habitat restoration. Ecological
restoration measures are applied for different reasons, comprising aesthetic values,
recreational activities such as fishing or bird-watching, and also species conservation
targets (Wilson 2010).
A lot of money is spent worldwide on cleaning the water or reducing the impact
of waste. Public authorities apply methods of increasing mechanic influence to
restore habitats or even landscapes. An uncountable number of restoration measures
such as plantations, pollarding willows, removing artificial buildings and structures,
restoration of habitats by grazing, cutting, transferring hay of species-rich grassland
to species-poorer grassland, eradication of exotic species, repatriation of locally
extinct species, and many others are applied. Artificial buildings such as bird or
bat boxes are used in the landscape to support certain animals (Harker et al. 1999).
Grazing and cutting are used to reduce biomass and/or productivity, to slow down
succession or simply to open the vegetation of a certain type of landscape unit or
habitat type. Mowing and grazing are often used in heaths and grasslands, cutting of
young trees or shrubs is used in many bogs, fens and swamps, for example across
Europe. Mowing is very effective in reducing biomass whereas grazing creates
higher environmental heterogeneity at small scales. Both measures stabilize the
biodiversity of diverse open and half-open habitat types. In other regions with a
170
C. Hobohm
Meanwhile it has become evident that, for example, many islands or protected areas
on islands with introduced animals such as goat, pig, dog, cat or rat would have a
long-lasting problem if these are not eradicated prior to reducing the influence of
humans (Diamond 1985; Rodríguez et al. 2006; Whittaker and Fernández-Palacios
2007).
In some parts of the National Park Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft in Germany, everything including hunting and walking is forbidden, resulting in extremely
large populations of boar, fox and other native and exotic predators and omnivores.
In these regions, it is extremely difficult to find ground-breeding coastal birds in the
open habitats—dunes, saltmarshes, beaches—which they normally prefer. As a
consequence, habitats of coastal ground-breeding birds are partially protected by
electric fences.
Thus, conservationists and organizations should decide about the intended main
goal—wilderness, the survival of native species, or the support of threatened target
species. To reduce the influence of humans might be a good idea sometimes.
However, in every case the effect of decreasing human influence and abandonment
should be carefully observed with respect to the primary goal.
3.8 Restoration Measures and Experiments with New
Habitats
Restoration ecology emerged as branch of ecology in the second half of the twentieth
century, and focuses on ecological, landscape or habitat restoration. Ecological
restoration measures are applied for different reasons, comprising aesthetic values,
recreational activities such as fishing or bird-watching, and also species conservation
targets (Wilson 2010).
A lot of money is spent worldwide on cleaning the water or reducing the impact
of waste. Public authorities apply methods of increasing mechanic influence to
restore habitats or even landscapes. An uncountable number of restoration measures
such as plantations, pollarding willows, removing artificial buildings and structures,
restoration of habitats by grazing, cutting, transferring hay of species-rich grassland
to species-poorer grassland, eradication of exotic species, repatriation of locally
extinct species, and many others are applied. Artificial buildings such as bird or
bat boxes are used in the landscape to support certain animals (Harker et al. 1999).
Grazing and cutting are used to reduce biomass and/or productivity, to slow down
succession or simply to open the vegetation of a certain type of landscape unit or
habitat type. Mowing and grazing are often used in heaths and grasslands, cutting of
young trees or shrubs is used in many bogs, fens and swamps, for example across
Europe. Mowing is very effective in reducing biomass whereas grazing creates
higher environmental heterogeneity at small scales. Both measures stabilize the
biodiversity of diverse open and half-open habitat types. In other regions with a
170
C. Hobohm