A Seminar by Jens-Christian Svenning: ”A Wilder, Better Future?”

The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters warmly invites you to a seminar by Professor Jens-Christian Svenning on the topic:

Trophic Rewilding as a Restoration Approach under Emerging Novel Biosphere Conditions.

Rewilding is a forward-looking ecological restoration approach that aims to restore self-regulating, dynamic ecosystems by reintroducing non-human ecological processes while reducing human control. By prioritizing functionality over static composition or structure, rewilding is particularly relevant in an era of increasingly novel biosphere conditions driven by human-induced global changes. Trophic rewilding, focused on restoring trophic complexity through wild, large-bodied animals or ‘megafauna,’ plays a critical role in this context. Megafauna have historically shaped ecosystems through their ecological impacts, including promoting vegetation heterogeneity, seed dispersal, nutrient cycling, and biotic microhabitats, which are vital drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem function. Non-native megafauna may also enhance ecological functionality by acting as surrogates for extinct species or contributing to novel assemblages.

With strong potential for upscaling through population growth and habitat expansion, trophic rewilding can foster adaptation to climate change, increase ecosystem resilience, and mitigate globalization’s negative impacts, such as invasive alien species dominance. However, achieving these biodiversity benefits requires navigating the complexities of implementing trophic rewilding in a heavily populated and rapidly changing world.

About the Speaker

Jens-Christian Svenning is a macroecologist and biogeographer, with strong interest in plants, animals and people across the world. He is a Professor at the Department of Biology at Aarhus University, Denmark where he also serves as the Director of DNRF Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), established in 2023. Svenning is known for his research in macroecology, biogeography, biodiversity, the effects of climate change on biomes, rewilding, and human-environment interactions across historical and future contexts with a specific focus on concepts like disequilibrium dynamics and the impacts of top-down trophic processes.

The event is open to the public. You are also welcome to join us remotely via the live stream. Please use this link to access the event remotely.

Welcome to attend!