Systematic Selection of Species for Reintroduction

doi:10.1017/9781316221815.016

12 - Systematic Selection of Species for Reintroduction

from Part II - Results

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 July 2026

Fred Ford and

Adrian D. Manning

Edited by

Adrian D. Manning

Show author details

Adrian D. Manning: Affiliation:
The Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia

Book contents

Get access

Summary

This chapter outlines a systematic, adaptive approach to selecting species for reintroduction at Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary (MFWS), aiming to restore ecosystem function through multi-species rewilding. Recognising the limitations of single-species reintroductions, the authors developed a decision support tool (DST) based on IUCN criteria, ecological roles, and historical occurrence. The process involved defining bioregional settings, compiling evidence of past species presence, analysing biological traits and assessing ecological compatibility. Priority species were identified through a transparent scoring system, with initial reintroductions including eastern bettong, New Holland mouse, brown treecreeper, and bush stone-curlew. The approach emphasises the importance of keystone and ecosystem engineer species, the need for long-term adaptive management, and the integration of ecological, historical and practical considerations. This framework offers a globally adaptable model for evidence-based species selection in ecosystem restoration projects.

Keywords

Species reintroduction Ecosystem restoration Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary Dasyurus viverrinusBettongia gaimardiBurhinus grallariusClimacteris picumnusPseudomys novaehollandiaeDecision support tool (DST)Pookila Adaptive management Keystone species Ecosystem engineers Bioregional analysis Conservation planning Multi-species rewilding Translocation Safe haven

Information

Type: Chapter
Information: Rebuilding an Ecosystem
Integrating Applied Research and Restoration
, pp. 234 - 251

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316221815.016 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2026

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Burbidge, A. A. & McKenzie, N. L. (1989). Patterns in the modern decline of Western-Australia vertebrate fauna – Causes and conservation implications. Biological Conservation, 50, 143–198.10.1016/0006-3207(89)90009-8CrossRef Google Scholar

Carver, S., Convery, I., Hawkins, S., et al. (2021). Guiding principles for rewilding. Conservation Biology, 35(6), 1882–1893.10.1111/cobi.13730CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Copley, P. B. (1999a). Natural histories of Australia’s stick-nest rats, genus Leporillus (Rodentia: Muridae). Wildlife Research, 26, 513–539.10.1071/WR97056CrossRef Google Scholar

Copley, P. B. (1999b). Review of the recovery plan for greater stick-nest rat, Leporillus conditor. Biodiversity Branch, Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, Adelaide.Google Scholar

Edmonstone Plumb, B. (1857). Lake George. The Goulburn Herald and Chronicle Saturday October 23, 1857.Google Scholar

Fleming, P. A., Anderson, H., Prendergast, A. S., et al. (2014). Is the loss of Australian digging mammals contributing to a deterioration in ecosystem function? Mammal Review, 44, 94–108.CrossRef Google Scholar

Franklin, J. F. (1993). Preserving biodiversity: Species, ecosystems, or landscapes? Ecological Applications, 3, 202–205.10.2307/1941820CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Gillespie, L. L. (1992). Ginninderra, Forerunner to Canberra: A History of the Ginninderra District Campbell. ACT.Google Scholar

Grumbine, R. E. (1994). What is ecosystem management? Conservation Biology, 8, 27–38.10.1046/j.1523-1739.1994.08010027.xCrossRef Google Scholar

Hetherington, D. (2013). Assessing the potential for the restoration of vertebrate species in the Cairngorms National Park: A background review. Cairngorms National Parks Authority, Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland.Google Scholar

Holling, C. S. & Meffe, G. K. (1996). Command and control and the pathology of natural resource management. Conservation Biology, 10, 328–337.10.1046/j.1523-1739.1996.10020328.xCrossRef Google Scholar

IUCN. (1998). IUCN Guidelines for Reintroductions. IUCN/SSC Reintroduction Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland, and Cambridge, UK.Google Scholar

IUCN/SSC. (2013). Guidelines for Reintroductions and Other Conservation Translocations. Version 1.0., pp. viiii + 57pp. IUCN Species Survival Commission, Gland, Switzerland.Google Scholar

James, A. I. & Eldridge, D. J. (2007). Reintroduction of fossorial native mammals and potential impacts on ecosystem processes in an Australian desert landscape. Biological Conservation, 138, 351–359.10.1016/j.biocon.2007.04.029CrossRef Google Scholar

Johnson, C. N. (2006). Australia’s Mammal Extinctions: A 50 000 Year History. Cambridge University Press, Melbourne.Google Scholar

Jones, C. G., Lawton, J. H. & Shachak, M. (1994). Organisms as ecosystem engineers. OIKOS, 69, 373–386.10.2307/3545850CrossRef Google Scholar

Kerley, G. I. H., Kowalczyk, R. & Cromsigt, J. P. G. M. (2012). Conservation implications of the refugee species concept and the European bison: King of the forest or refugee in a marginal habitat? Ecography, 35, 519–529.CrossRef Google Scholar

MacKinnon, K. & MacKinnon, J. (1991). Habitat Protection and Reintroduction Programs. Beyond Captive Breeding: Reintroducing Endangered Mammals to the Wild (ed. Gipps, J. H. W.), pp. 173–196. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar

Manning, A. D. (2009). Re-wilding the conservation agenda in the UK. Wilder Horizons, 1, 20–23.Google Scholar

Marris, E. (2009). Reflecting the past (vol 462, pg 30, 2009). Nature, 462, 558–558.10.1038/462030aCrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Martin, G. (2003). The role of small ground-foraging mammals in topsoil health and biodiversity: Implications to management and restoration. Ecological Restoration and Management, 4, 114–119.10.1046/j.1442-8903.2003.00145.xCrossRef Google Scholar

Paine, R. T. (1969). A note on trophic complexity and community stability. American Naturalist, 103, 91–93.10.1086/282586CrossRef Google Scholar

Power, M. E., Tilman, D., Estes, J. A., et al. (1996). Challenges in the quest for keystones. BioScience, 46, 609–620.10.2307/1312990CrossRef Google Scholar

Robinson, A. C. (1975). The sticknest rat, Leporillus conditor, on Franklin Island, Nuyts Archipelago, South Australia. Australian Mammalogy, 1, 319–327.10.1071/AM75002CrossRef Google Scholar

Rohlf, F. J. (2009). NTSY Spc. Exeter Software, Setauket, NY.Google Scholar

Seddon, P. J., Armstrong, D. P. & Maloney, R. F. (2007). Developing the science of reintroduction biology. Conservation Biology, 21, 303–312.10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00627.xCrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Short, J. (1998). The extinction of rat-kangaroos (Marsupialia: Potoroidae) in New South Wales, Australia. Biological Conservation, 86, 365–377.10.1016/S0006-3207(98)00026-3CrossRef Google Scholar

Short, J. & Smith, A. (1994). Mammal decline and recovery in Australia. Journal of Mammalogy, 75, 288–297.10.2307/1382547CrossRef Google Scholar

Slocombe, D. S. (1998). Defining goals and criteria for ecosystem-based management. Environmental Management, 22, 483–493.10.1007/s002679900121CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Smith, K. J., Pierson, J. C., Evans, M. J., et al. (2024). Continental‐scale identification and prioritisation of potential refugee species; a case study for rodents in Australia. Ecography, 2024(9), p.e07035.10.1111/ecog.07035CrossRef Google Scholar

Soulé, M. E. & Noss, R. F. (1998). Rewilding and biodiversity: Complementary goals for continental conservation. Wild Earth, 8, 18–28.Google Scholar

Stuart, S. N. (1991). Reintroductions: To What Extent Are They needed? Beyond Captive Breeding: Reintroducing Endangered Mammals to the Wild (ed. Gipps, J. H. W.), pp. 27–37. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar

Thackway, R. & Cresswell, I. (1995). An interim bioregionalisation for Australia: A framework for setting priorities in the National Reserve System Cooperative Program. Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Canberra.Google Scholar

Wakefield, N. A. (1967). Some taxonomic revision in the Australian marsupial genus Bettongia (Macropodidae) with description of a new species. Victorian Naturalist, 84, 8–22.Google Scholar

Wilcove, D. S. & Blair, R. B. (1995). The ecosystem management bandwagon. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 10(8), 345.10.1016/S0169-5347(00)89128-4CrossRef Google Scholar PubMed

Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.0 A

Why this information is here

This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

The HTML of this chapter conforms to version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), ensuring core accessibility principles are addressed and meets the basic (A) level of WCAG compliance, addressing essential accessibility barriers.

Content Navigation

Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.

Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.

Reading Order & Textual Equivalents

Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.

Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.

Full alternative textual descriptions
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.

Structural and Technical Features

ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.