A Geographic Assessment of the Global Scope for Rewilding with Wild-Living Horses (Equus ferus).

ABSTRACT: Megafaunas worldwide have been decimated during the late Quaternary. Many extirpated species were keystone species, and their loss likely has had large effects on ecosystems. Therefore, it is increasingly considered how megafaunas can be restored. The horse (Equus ferus) is highly relevant in this context as it was once extremely widespread and, despite severe range contraction, survives in the form of domestic, feral, and originally wild horses. Further, it is a functionally important species, notably due to its ability to graze coarse, abrasive grasses. Here, we used species distribution modelling to link locations of wild-living E. ferus populations to climate to estimate climatically suitable areas for wild-living E. ferus. These models were combined with habitat information and past a

SUBMITTER: Naundrup PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4503665 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature