BIOLOGY: WEEK 11


The reintroduction of the American bison back into America's prairies will promote the health and diversity of the grasslands.  The bison were an integral part of the prairie ecosystem before the arrival of foreign settlers.  They were also important in regard to the culture of the plains Indians such as the Sioux because they provided the main source of food in the Dakotas.  The bison provide disturbances to the landscape that help to aerate the soil, spread plant seeds and maintain the natural balance of the ecosystem.  The reintroduction of the bison to the prairie would also be a healing experience for Native Americans whose spirituality is intertwined with the history of the bison in America.




I think that the natural balance of the landscape in Illinois can be restored to a certain degree with the reintroduction of the bison.  The number of birds have already increased since the return of the animals, so I anticipate other positive changes that will happen as time goes on.  Although the environment had adapted to the disappearance of the bison from the ecosystem, the reintroduction of the animals would reshape the prairies in a way that would bring the landscape closer to it's original state before the buffalo were exterminated.  I don't think that the prairies would be fully restored to their original conditions in the past, but they would definitely benefit from the symbiotic relationship between the bison and the land.






Comments

  1. Gina MarksAugust 1, 2018 at 2:19 PM

    I think the reintroduction of the American bison is needed and good for the ecosystem. What concerns me is hearing the bison are on display at Golden Gate park, without much room to roam. The American Indian revered the bison, and were a sign of prosperity. Now, the highly revered white bison is on display across the street from a Home Depot. I think if the bison are returning, they should be respected and not advertised as road side attraction. But, their reintroduction in the prairie setting is do wonders to the ecosystem.

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