Publication Details |
| Category | Text Publication |
| Reference Category | Journals |
| DOI | 10.1111/ddi.13110 |
Licence  |
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| Title (Primary) | Declining human pressure and opportunities for rewilding in the steppes of Eurasia |
| Author | Baumann, M.; Kamp, J.; Pötzschner, F.; Bleyhl, B.; Dara, A.; Hankerson, B.; Prishchepov, A.V.; Schierhorn, F.; Müller, D.; Hölzel, N.; Krämer, R.; Urazaliyev, R.; Kuemmerle, T. |
| Source Titel | Diversity and Distributions |
| Year | 2020 |
| Department | MET; iDiv |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Page From | 1058 |
| Page To | 1070 |
| Language | englisch |
| Supplements | https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2Fddi.13110&file=ddi13110-sup-0001-AppendixS1.docx |
| Keywords | agricultural abandonment; ecological integrity; human pressure; Landsat; landscape connectivity; passive rewilding; steppe restoration |
| Abstract |
Large and ecologically functioning steppe complexes
have been lost historically across the globe, but recent land‐use
changes may allow the reversal of this trend in some regions. We aimed
to develop and map indicators of changing human influence using
satellite imagery and historical maps, and to use these indicators to
identify areas for broad‐scale steppe rewilding. Eurasian steppes of Kazakhstan. We mapped decreasing human influence indicated by
cropland abandonment, declining grazing pressure and rural outmigration
in the steppes of northern Kazakhstan. We did this by processing ~5,500
Landsat scenes to map changes in cropland between 1990 and 2015, and by
digitizing Soviet topographic maps and examining recent high‐resolution
satellite imagery to assess the degree of abandonment of >2,000
settlements and >1,300 livestock stations. We combined this
information into a human influence index (HI), mapped changes in
HI to highlight where rewilding might take place and assessed how this
affected the connectivity of steppe habitat.
Across our study area, about 6.2 million ha of
cropland were abandoned (30.5%), 14% of all settlements were fully and
81% partly abandoned, and 76% of livestock stations were completely
dismantled between 1990 and 2015, suggesting substantially decreasing
human pressure across vast areas. This resulted in increased
connectivity of steppe habitat. The steppes of Eurasia are experiencing massively
declining human influence, suggesting large‐scale passive rewilding is
taking place. Many of these areas are now important for the connectivity
of the wider steppe landscape and can provide habitat for endangered
megafauna such as the critically endangered saiga antelope. Yet, this
window of opportunity may soon close, as recultivation of abandoned
cropland is gaining momentum. Our aggregate human influence index
captures key components of rewilding and can help to devise strategies
for fostering large, connected networks of protected areas in the
steppe. |
| Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=23229 |
| Baumann, M., Kamp, J., Pötzschner, F., Bleyhl, B., Dara, A., Hankerson, B., Prishchepov, A.V., Schierhorn, F., Müller, D., Hölzel, N., Krämer, R., Urazaliyev, R., Kuemmerle, T. (2020): Declining human pressure and opportunities for rewilding in the steppes of Eurasia Divers. Distrib. 26 (9), 1058 - 1070 10.1111/ddi.13110 |
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