The wells that the wild horses and burros dug increased accessible surface water density by up to 14-fold. Also important, the #scientists found the equine wells could serve as nurseries for critical trees, as willows and cottonwoods were germinating at some wells. Lundgren said the well-digging behavior fits the definition of “#EcosystemEngineering,” a phenomenon whereby wild animals alter their environment.

This is also why I like the notion of local organizing with global networking and a global perspective. Different regions will have different needs, from a social perspective, from an engineering perspective, and from an ecological perspective. Folks on the left talk about the intersection between social dynamics like race, sex, gender, class, and so on, and bringing environmental justice into that has brought us to the point where it’s pretty clear that the social, engineering, and ecological perspectives aren’t really different things at all.

#EcosystemServices #EcosystemManagement #GlobalWarming #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Elephants #EcosystemEngineering

https://freethoughtblogs.com/oceanoxia/2023/01/26/let-there-be-elephants/