this distribution Kurd By the middle of the nineteenth century, it was at least 65 percent of the surface of the Iberian Peninsula, three times as much as it is today, according to an estimate by a scientific team led by the Doñana Biological Station (EBD), an institute of the High Council. For Scientific Research (CSIC).
To arrive at these conclusions, they consulted the geographic dictionary edited by Pascual Madoz in the mid-19th century, which defined each city in Spain and its geographical features, as well as statistical models. The study was carried out in collaboration with the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research – iDiv and is published in the journal ‘Animal Conservation’.
“The knowledge we have about these declines comes from comparisons of indices that describe the distribution and abundance of species over time,” said Miguel Clavero, a researcher at the Doñana Biology Station and lead author of the study.
However, he pointedThe data needed to calculate these indices “started to be collected very recently, In recent years, while the effects of human activities have been occurring for centuries”.
For this reason, detection of recent drops “may be just a small picture of actual drops”. “Even the so-called ‘expansion’ of some species may be nothing more than a mirage, the result of looking through a very limited window of time, as with the wolf today,” he added.
The current “expansion” of the wolf
The researcher noted that the inclusion of the wolf on the List of Specially Protected Wild Species “puts strong limitations on these controls and has found direct opposition from some social actors.”
Therefore, he warned, in such a contradictory context, “it is crucial to have an objective assessment of long-term trends and the wolf’s conservation status, beyond what has happened in recent years.”
Compared to the historical distribution of its current state, the area occupied today made up just over 30 percent of the historic area reached in the mid-19th century. In promoting this long-term vision, “The so-called recent expansion of the species will represent little more than offsetting the sharp decline suffered by the species”.
The original recovery of the species and its important ecological functions means its return to “historical areas of existence. outside the northwest Spanish quarter”. This horizon means “numerous challenges” for coexistence between humans and wolves, especially where the species’ existence is no longer part of the collective memory.
The recently published study demonstrates the potential of historical resources to inform understanding of the natural environment and its current management. Appropriate exploitation of these sources amounts to “a great and careful effort” and requires the application of statistical techniques to “correct the various knowledge gaps and biases contained in historical documents”.
“If we’re able to stretch the horizon when we assess the status and trends of ecosystems and the species that occupy them, it’s worth the effort,” Clavero said.
……
Environment department contact address:crisclimatica@prensaiberica.es
Source: Informacion
