Rewilding: A Call for Boosting Ecological Complexity in Conservation

• DOI: 10.1111/conl.12374
• Publication Date: 2017-05-25T16:50:47Z
• Authors: Néstor Fernández; Laetitia M. Navarro; Henrique M. Pereira
• Keywords: Defaunation; Restoration Ecology

Abstract Rewilding has emerged as an audacious conservation approach aiming at restoring wild species interactions and their regulation of ecosystem processes by focusing on the key role that have been extensively extirpated humans. gained increasing attention from scientists, conservationists mass‐media. Yet, it raised highly divergent perspectives to which ecological assemblages should be restored. Here we argue a pragmatic immediate rewilding unequivocally focused preserving structural functional complexity ecosystems must become primary component biodiversity conservation. We propose process‐oriented formulation hypothesis general guide assess benefits reverting defaunation. Finally, identify need for framework where benefits, risks, costs can evaluated in relation restoration baselines intensity interventions required achieve goals.