Rooting for Rewilding: Quantifying Wild Boar's Sus scrofa Rooting Rate in the Scottish Highlands

摘要: Rewilding is emerging as a promising framework within restoration ecology to help restore ecosystem function through species reintroduction. To manage effectively such projects it necessary predict and quantify the interactions between reintroduced their environment. date, this has not been priority in ecology. Here, we wild boar's rooting rate at range of stocking densities explore potential aid Caledonian pine forest Scottish Highlands by reinvigorating disturbance regime. Eleven enclosures c. 0.5 ha heather moorland, dominated Caluna vulgaris, were used, situated on Alladale Wilderness Reserve, 50 km north-west Inverness. Stocking varied 4 15 boar/ha. The accumulation rooted area was recorded weekly over 13-week period. A cost analysis performed compare use boar with other ground preparation techniques. median per capita 42.4 m2/week (interquartile [IQR] 45.5), but temporally. Median rates 21.6 75.3 m2/week (IQR 5.6) periods that suitability for rooting. Rooting consistent across densities. using tool ranged £184 £1,961 hectare depending density This experiment direct application managing impact free farming conditions, managed woodland regeneration schemes, rewilding projects, wild.