Pleistocene Arctic megafaunal ecological engineering as a natural climate solution?

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Climate Science
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Arctic ecosystems store vast amounts of carbon in permafrost.
• Current tundra and forest-tundra ecotones are vulnerable to climate change, potentially releasing significant carbon.
• Natural climate solutions (NCS) offer potential for large-scale climate change mitigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the potential of megafaunal ecological engineering in the Arctic as an NCS.
• To explore mechanisms by which large herbivores can mitigate climate change.
• To estimate the economic viability and scalability of Arctic megafauna-based NCS.

Main Methods:

• Review of environmental context and ecological engineering principles in the Arctic.
• Analysis of climate mitigation mechanisms through grassland restoration by herbivores.
• Economic feasibility assessment based on bison and horse reintroduction models.
• Business plan development using data from Pleistocene Park.

Main Results:

• Arctic megafauna-based NCS can generate substantial income via carbon markets.
• Ecosystem shift to grassland can delay permafrost thaw and enhance carbon sequestration.
• Significant global climate impact requires large-scale, rapid reintroduction of herbivores, posing scalability challenges.

Conclusions:

• Megafaunal ecological engineering presents a promising, economically viable Arctic NCS.
• Scaling up is a major challenge, requiring substantial investment and logistical planning.
• Further research into reintroduction technologies and institutional frameworks is necessary for successful implementation.