"Invasion Biology"

Since the beginning of time, species have spread and contracted their ranges. A variety of factors including weather and climate influenced their spread and movement. Arguably, one of the most important modern factors is human influence.

"Invasion Biology"

Hunting's Remarkable Resilience

Hunters defend their tradition because it helps control population, generates conservation revenues and Fair Chase expresses good sportsmanship. But predation is also physiologically better for wildlife and habitats. Hunters are often as unaware of this natural principle as non-hunters. Just like wolves, cougars, bears and other apex predators, humans have

"Invasion Biology"

Can Dirt Save the Earth?

This article concludes, “The essential (environmental) insight is one often overlooked when we talk about climate change: The element that threatens to smother civilization is also, in different forms, the fundamental building block of life. To prevent carbon from causing misery and destruction, perhaps we just need to change its

"Invasion Biology"

How Spanish Ibérico Pork Found Its Way to Texas

In the Spanish deserts, pigs which forage for themselves and fatten on seasonal acorns produce hams that can bring $2,000 apiece. In Texas, anticompetitive regulations and bureaucratic red-tape effectively prevent Texans from marketing free-range feral pigs. Before the Civil War, the primary source of income for German settlers in

"Invasion Biology"

The Art Of The Cattle Move II: Grazing Plans

This beautiful video discusses the importance of the grazing plan in sustainable ranching. The authors explain, “The most important tool we use in management of the land is being able to control the amount of time that cattle graze a particular pasture. Too long in a pasture and the grass

"Invasion Biology"

Montana Tries to Make Predators Bearable

“There are common sense ways to adjust ranch practices to accommodate predators. Here is one. NOTE: the post below is a “Snapshots” snippet from PERC.org‘s PERCReports Summer 2018 edition. It can be found on Page 7. Montana tries to make predators bearable. Dead livestock in bear country can

"Invasion Biology"

‘Rewilding’ Missing Carnivores May Help Restore Some Landscapes

Because of how nature works, wildlife and habitats cannot be restored without (1) predators, (2) prey and, (3) keystone grazers.  This article looks at one missing piece of this trio. NOTE: this article was originally published to NYTimes.com on March 16, 2018. It was written by JoAnna Klein If

"Invasion Biology"

The Art Of The Cattle Move Part I: The Philosophy

The authors of this beautifully-photographed video explain, “The core of Ranchlands’ ranching operations is rotational grazing. The majority of our time is spent preparing for, executing, and checking on the rotation of cattle through pastures in a migratory fashion. From stimulating new plant growth through grazing and returning nutrients to

"Invasion Biology"

A Million Tons of Feces And An Unbearable Stench: Life Near Industrial Pig Farms

The way we raise our grocery store pork is so repulsive that it is unfit for discussion in polite company. Almost everyone averts their eyes from the filth and cruelty of these pig factories, and the damage they do to rural communities, environments, watersheds and public health. Public indifference gives

"Invasion Biology"

Arctic Foxes on a Swedish Mountain Turned ‘Blue.’ It Was a Good Thing

Scandinavians’ common sense approach to wildlife restoration led them to increase genetic diversity of endangered fox populations by adding animals which are not precisely ‘native’ – thereby saving the foxes. Likewise, when Texas reestablished Desert Bighorn Sheep, transplants were brought from far-away, isolated populations, none of which were ‘native’. This was

"Invasion Biology"

Desert Bighorn Ram Killed at Circle Ranch, July 28, 2018

Desert Bighorn Sheep are the rarest of four wild sheep found in North America. A Circle Ranch guest shot this 169-5/8 Boone & Crockett bighorn ram on July 28, 2018. We see rams this big – or bigger – all the time. In our experience, sheep are easy to raise, and

"Invasion Biology"

Can American Soil be Brought Back to Life?

Many factors have contributed to the destruction of soil fertility, starting with biodiversity loss which is the root cause of the decline of wildlife, habitat and croplands. Farming, ranching and wildlife practices are best judged according to the extent to which they restore soil fertility. Most everything we do fails

"Invasion Biology"

An Ancient Horse Is Unearthed in a Utah Backyard

Horses evolved in America. They and their ancestors were in our deserts for millions of years. Horses disappeared about 5,000-years ago, largely because of early Native American hunting. The Spanish brought them back 500-years ago, and by 1830 there were again 2,000,000 wild horses. These were all

"Invasion Biology"

Dam Good! Beavers May Restore Imperiled Streams, Fish Populations

The picture above shows what can happen when stream beds erode and disconnect from their old floodplains. Wetlands are now fallow meadows. As discussed in the article below, beavers have trouble building dams in these eroded streams where trees have disappeared. Where heavy material is lacking, and contained flood runoff

"Invasion Biology"

EU Member States Support Near-Total Neonicotinoids Ban

Once again, the Europeans lead the US with policies and practices that ensure public and environmental health. As reported in the article below, neonicotinoid-based insecticides are used on most of our seeds to prevent their being eaten by insects. These are very harmful for the very reason that they are

"Invasion Biology"

Monsanto’s New Weed Killer, Dicamba, Divides Farmers

The ever growing use of stronger and stronger poisons defines Industrial Agriculture. This article tells how farmers who try to avoid using the GMO seeds that are bred to withstand these poisons have their crops ruined. This is one small example of the vast damage Industrial Agriculture is doing to

"Invasion Biology"

Invasive Species Alert! Trillions Upon Trillions of Viruses Fall from the Sky Each Day

Microorganisms are by far the most abundant lifeforms. For that reason, 90 percent of the cells and more than 99 percent of the genetic material in a human body are found in its microorganisms including viruses and bacteria. As explained below, these microorganisms are not parasites. They govern all life

"Invasion Biology"

Could the Mexican Gray Wolf - Source of Fascination and Hostility - Return to the West Texas Wilds?

In far-West Texas, there is strong resistance to Mexican Wolf reintroductions. This is based on unwarranted assumptions about their danger to humans and livestock. Ranching can be adapted to co-exist with the Mexican Grey Wolf, which is a smaller version of its Northern cousin found in Montana and Wyoming. The

"Invasion Biology"

This Man Wants You to Eat More Meat

“We’ve had about a hundred years of ‘range science.’ I hate that term because it’s not science, it’s range beliefs that assume scientific proportion. They come up with rotational grazing and other approaches on and on endlessly, and those have turned pastures into deserts.”            … Allan Savory NOTE:

"Invasion Biology"

In Far-West Texas, an Artificial Beaver Dam Repairs a Desert Gully - and Reverses Erosion

Artificial beaver dams are a recent addition to the desert restoration toolbox. Where trees have disappeared along stream-sides, beavers lack materials to build dams that can survive flood surges. But, if restoration managers provide a superstructure of deeply sunk vertical posts, then cane, brush and grass can be placed within

"Invasion Biology"

All by Itself the Humble Sweet Potato Colonized the World

Is the seed potato an ‘invasive’ ‘exotic’ which by definition harms plants and habitats? Or do new plants – like new animals – enter systems all the time, and in so doing benefit other plants and animals including humans? NOTE: the article below is from NYTimes.com and can be found here.

"Invasion Biology"

Book Review of American Serengeti: The Last Big Animals of the Great Plains

American Serengeti is Dan Flores’ natural history of the American Great Plains throughout its 13,000-years of human presence. According to the author, the book is the “Big History” of two lost worlds, both of which were destroyed by humans. The first Lost World was a larger, more diverse collection

"Invasion Biology"

How an Australian Ranch Uses Cattle to Restore Soil

Meet Glenn Morris, General Manager of Figtrees Organic Farms, producers and marketers of award winning organic beef from the award winning properties ‘Wilton Park’ in New South Wales, Australia. Glenn has spent more than two decades observing, studying and thoughtfully managing the diverse ecosystems in his care. His keen eye

"Invasion Biology"

A Better Fight Against Cattle Fever Ticks

Planned grazing has been shown to significantly control fever ticks without medications when the recovery (rest) periods – the time between when a herd leaves a pasture and when it returns – exceeds 150 days. This is because the ticks’ life cycle cannot survive absence of host animals for that long.   Decades

"Invasion Biology"

Wild Horses: Are They Being Managed to Extinction?

Because humans have eradicated most predators of wild horses, humans are the only means of wild horse population control. How many horses are too many? Probably a lot more than we have today. Here are two interesting wild horse facts, reported with extensive scientific citations in Dan Flores’ American Serengeti:

"Invasion Biology"

Farmland Birds in France Are in Steep Decline

Scientists involved in long-running regional and national bird-counting surveys in France have reported precipitous declines in agricultural regions, even among common birds such as blackbirds that are well adapted to human activity and do well in most circumstances. They concluded, “We have to change completely the way we do agriculture.