Reintroduction of Plains Bison (Bison bison bison) to Banff National Park. An ecological necessity?

Dossier / Travail , 2013 , 13 Pages , Note: 1,7

Sciences de l'Environnement

In 2013, Parks Canada published a first draft plan to reintroduce plains bison to Banff National Park. This project was supported by the reasons that bison play a keyrole in the ecosystem and function as a food resource for predators and scavenger. Plains bison play a key role in prairie ecosystems. Through their grazing and wallowing combined with naturally occurring fires, plains bison have a disproportionally large impact on their environment. However, the role bison play in Banff National Park is likely to be of minor importance. In fact, the reintroduction of plains bison may even harm the Banff ecosystem through enhanced seed dispersal of exotic species and fragmentation through bison-fencing. It is concluded that if bison will be reintroduced, more research is needed, first, on the impact of bison to the Banff ecosystem and second, on the impact of bison fencing on the movement of other wildlife. Also, Parks Canada should be willing to cancel the project if the ecological costs outweigh the benefits.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Abstract
• Introduction
• What are the reasons for Parks Canada to reintroduce Bison?
• Key role of plains bison in the prairie ecosystem
• Conclusion
• Literaturverzeichnis

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This article examines the ecological implications of reintroducing plains bison to Banff National Park. It explores the arguments for and against the reintroduction, focusing on the potential impact of bison on the park's ecosystem. The article also considers the role of bison as a keystone species in prairie ecosystems and analyzes the evidence supporting this claim.

• Ecological impact of bison reintroduction
• Keystone species role of bison in prairie ecosystems
• Impact of bison grazing and wallowing on vegetation and habitat
• Role of bison carcasses in nutrient cycling and plant diversity
• Seed dispersal by bison

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The article begins by outlining Parks Canada's plan to reintroduce plains bison to Banff National Park. It then explores the ecological reasons for this reintroduction, highlighting the historical presence of bison in the area and their potential role in restoring the park's biodiversity. The article delves into the keystone species role of bison in prairie ecosystems, citing research on the Konza tallgrass prairie in Kansas and Utah. This research demonstrates the significant impact of bison grazing, wallowing, and carcasses on plant diversity, habitat structure, and nutrient cycling. The article concludes by discussing the potential benefits and drawbacks of bison reintroduction to Banff National Park, emphasizing the need for further research to assess the ecological costs and benefits.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include plains bison, Banff National Park, keystone species, prairie ecosystem, grazing, wallowing, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, biodiversity, ecological impact, and reintroduction.

• Université: University of Toronto
• Cours: Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
• Note: 1,7
• Auteur: Benjamin Schwarz (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2013
• Pages: 13
• N° de catalogue: V280034
• ISBN (ebook): 9783656738787
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656741350
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Plains bison, reintroduction to Banff, key species in Banff, Banff National Park, Bison, keystone species, reintroduction