Island extinctions: processes, patterns, and potential for ecosystem restoration

Extinctions have altered island ecosystems throughout the late Quaternary. Here, we review the main historic drivers of extinctions on islands, patterns in extinction chronologies between islands, and the potential for restoring ecosystems through reintroducing extirpated species. While some extinct...

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Veröffentlicht in:Environmental conservation Jg. 44; H. 4; S. 348 - 358
Hauptverfasser: WOOD, JAMIE R., ALCOVER, JOSEP A., BLACKBURN, TIM M., BOVER, PERE, DUNCAN, RICHARD P., HUME, JULIAN P., LOUYS, JULIEN, MEIJER, HANNEKE J.M., RANDO, JUAN C., WILMSHURST, JANET M.
Format: Journal Article
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.12.2017
Schlagworte:
anthropogenic activities
Anthropogenic factors
Archaeology
Birds
Climate change
Conservation biology
Ecological effects
Ecological function
ecological restoration
Ecosystem biology
Ecosystem restoration
Ecosystems
Endangered & extinct species
Endemic species
Environmental changes
Environmental restoration
Extinction
habitat destruction
Habitat loss
Human influences
humans
Hunting
Islands
Land development
land use
Mus musculus
Museums
Natural history
natural resources conservation
paleoecology
Predators
Prehistoric era
Quaternary
Rattus rattus
Recovery of function
Reintroduction
Species extinction
SUBJECT REVIEWS
Vegetation
prehistory
habitat loss
human settlement
ecological restoration
archaeology
predation
hunting
conservation biology
introduced species
palaeoecology
ISSN:0376-8929, 1469-4387, 1469-4387
Online-Zugang:Volltext
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Zusammenfassung:Extinctions have altered island ecosystems throughout the late Quaternary. Here, we review the main historic drivers of extinctions on islands, patterns in extinction chronologies between islands, and the potential for restoring ecosystems through reintroducing extirpated species. While some extinctions have been caused by climatic and environmental change, most have been caused by anthropogenic impacts. We propose a general model to describe patterns in these anthropogenic island extinctions. Hunting, habitat loss and the introduction of invasive predators accompanied prehistoric settlement and caused declines of endemic island species. Later settlement by European colonists brought further land development, a different suite of predators and new drivers, leading to more extinctions. Extinctions alter ecological networks, causing ripple effects for islands through the loss of ecosystem processes, functions and interactions between species. Reintroduction of extirpated species can help restore ecosystem function and processes, and can be guided by palaeoecology. However, reintroduction projects must also consider the cultural, social and economic needs of humans now inhabiting the islands and ensure resilience against future environmental and climate change.
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ISSN:0376-8929
1469-4387
1469-4387
DOI:10.1017/S037689291700039X