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Drs. Hugh A.H. Jansman, Alterra - Centre for Ecosystems, P.O. Box 47, 6700
AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Mail: hugh.jansman@wur.nl; Tel: +31 317 477867Drs. Hugh A.H. Jansman, Alterra - Centre for Ecosystems, P.O. Box 47, 6700
AA Wageningen, The Netherlands. Mail: hugh.jansman@wur.nl; Tel: +31 317 477867
Explosive growth of the human population in combination with unsustainable life support forms the biggest threat to biodiversity on earth. The Netherlands is a very densely populated and wealthy country. Besides that public interest for wildlife is increasing, making it an ideal country to study nature conservation measures in a human dominated landscape. Major topics are restoring ecosystems and coping with habitat fragmentation. In both situations, translocation or reintroduction of species is an applied technique. More and more populations become fragmented, leading to isolation and inbreeding. Since the creation of corridors cannot always be achieved, artificial exchange of individuals between populations as a method to avoid inbreeding will be used more frequently.
Translocations of animals never consist of the movement of the single species but of a ‘biological package’ consisting of the animal itself and its passenger organisms. Introduction of new pathogens into an ecosystem can result in the spread of disease. On the other hand, animals introduced to a new ecosystem might suffer from occurring pathogens. A new phenomenon in the field of disease and wildlife conservation is the risk of intensive farming. Recently massive outbreaks of different diseases in different domestic animal species has resulted not only in discussions on origin of the diseases, but also in the considering of dramatic measures such as complete eradication of wildlife that might play a role in the spread of the diseases. Knowledge of disease-causing capabilities of pathogens as well as solid knowledge of the ecology of wildlife is of great importance for dealing with these conservation problems in a world of decreasing biodiversity.
This lecture will deal with these conservation topics, focussed on the recent
reintroductions of the beaver, otter and hamster in The Netherlands.
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