Tom Diserens
@tomdiserens
Followers
1,361
Following
459
Media
182
Statuses
2,039
I share stories from Europe's last primeval forest. Wolf ecologist in Białowieża. PhD from Warsaw Uni.
Bialowieza, Poland
Joined February 2022
Don't wanna be here?
Send us removal request.
Explore trending content on Musk Viewer
Fauci
• 1365727 Tweets
#ElectionsResults
• 276874 Tweets
DJ JKP OFFICIALLY 30
• 78844 Tweets
Hindus
• 77688 Tweets
#400Paar
• 75759 Tweets
उत्तर प्रदेश
• 67657 Tweets
天安門事件
• 65241 Tweets
Maharashtra
• 55398 Tweets
Uttar Pradesh
• 46307 Tweets
龍が如く
• 33019 Tweets
ボルテスV
• 32334 Tweets
Rajasthan
• 30452 Tweets
Varanasi
• 28706 Tweets
Caste
• 25523 Tweets
Nitish
• 24430 Tweets
#लोकसभा_आमचुनाव_2024
• 23268 Tweets
Ram Mandir
• 23116 Tweets
竹内涼真
• 22503 Tweets
桐生一馬
• 21554 Tweets
स्मृति ईरानी
• 21490 Tweets
Ayodhya
• 18865 Tweets
Yogi
• 16641 Tweets
ゼウスシルエット
• 16125 Tweets
الفصل الدراسي الثالث
• 13845 Tweets
#MarathonConcert2024
• 13592 Tweets
Naidu
• 13568 Tweets
Amethi
• 12728 Tweets
ガンレオン
• 12613 Tweets
TolongAdili KasusTimah
• 11628 Tweets
अजय राय
• 11493 Tweets
Pinned Tweet
Ever wanted to visit Europe's last primeval woodland? I run 1 and 4 day guided tours around Białowieża Forest.
These aren't your typical tours focusing on history and bison. They're tailored to people interested in rewilding and natural forest ecology. Topics you can choose to
5
30
225
The ecological impact of wolf reintroduction to Britain. A wolf ecologist’s view🧵.
Wolf reintroduction to Britain is again a hot topic in the media. So I want to share what we know about the wolf’s ecological impacts in a model European system, Białowieża Primeval Forest.
89
562
2K
@krzysztofbosak
Dwóch kryminalistów jest prawomocnie skazana a Bosak mówi że praworządność jest wątpliwa 🙄🙃
68
7
1K
Białowieża Primeval Forest has been described as Europe’s Serengeti or Great Barrier Reef. Yet in most circles outside Poland, the forest remains little known.
I’d like to help change that, so here are six reasons why the forest is so precious ⬇️🧵
19
206
871
@wolski_jaros
Ty tak na serio? Zakazywać robienia zdjęć, tego co można zobaczyć gołym okiem z ulicy jest po prostu absurdalne. To prawdo daje naszej autorytarnej władzy kolejne narzędzia do gnębienia ludzi.
19
2
293
‘The impact of large carnivores on mesocarnivore behaviour in Europe’. That was the title of my PhD.
I explored whether large carnivore reintroduction or recolonisation can help mitigate the European mesocarnivore problem.
Here follow the project’s unexpected results⬇️🧵
7
51
257
@wolski_jaros
Co za głupoty Pan wypisuje. Działanie rządu były słuszne?? Przecież one były nielegalne na wielu poziomach, od procedury budowy płotu, do strefy zakazu wstępu do nielegalnych pushbacków. Takie arbitralne stosowanie prawa idealnie się wpasowuje do wschodniego autorytarnego stylu
71
3
205
Turns out the huge bison herd I observed yesterday is the biggest bison herd ever seen. Here are some drone shots taken in December during a project carried out at the Mammal Research Institute in Białowieza.
Photo courtesy of Nika Knez and Rafał Kowalczyk.
4
25
197
@RGwiazdowski
@KarnowskiJakub
Sprywatyzowali koleje w UK a usługa jest jeszcze gorsza niż była, a napewno gorsza od PKP
29
0
184
@zriboua
@BenGoldsmith
Yes, I was surprised to read in Kapuściński's biography how much of an activist he was for the communist regime in his student days. There must have been thousands or even millions of smart people like him caught up in the utopianism of the ideology.
9
14
181
More exciting news about Polish forests! The Environment Ministry just announced the halting of logging in 10 woodlands.
Most importantly, the Carpathian woodlands are to be protected. There grow wonderful high conservation value old-growth stands.
Also safe from felling are
.
@hennigkloska
, minister klimatu i środowiska: Będziemy wstrzymywać i ograniczać wycinkę na terenach lasów państwowych. Dzisiejsza decyzja dotyczy 10 najcenniejszych lokalizacji.
33
72
395
3
43
178
Amazing to see on video the consequences of border fences.
We recently observed the first bear in Białowieża forest in 70 years. The bear went back to Belarus, but we had hopes the species would visit increasingly frequently and eventually recolonise the central European
A Belarusian bear has had enough of Lukashenko, the Wagner Group and Russian domination of his country.
He decided to investigate whether it’s possible to cross the border fence with Lithuania and seek freedom in the EU.
🇱🇹
538
3K
23K
6
55
179
I agree with George Monbiot: wolves would be a nice addition to the British fauna.
I doubt they would 'control' deer populations, but they'd definitely help lower the populations somewhat. In Białowieża Forest the best available data suggests large carnivores lower ungulate
After years of failed initiatives, "action plans", "strategies" and "working groups", it’s obvious that humans in Britain are an unreliable control agent. So let's pass the job to creatures which don't mess around.
This week's column.
87
150
659
8
20
168
Białowieża Primeval Forest, as the best-preserved lowland woodland in temperate Europe, serves as a reference system for temperate forests elsewhere in Europe. Studies here can help reveal what ecological interactions may manifest elsewhere as species recolonise/are reintroduced.
2
11
142
𝐁𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐥𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐬. So suggests our new paper published today in the journal Ecology & Evolution.
In this study we investigated whether badgers vary
2
14
55
Just for the record, I’m based in Białowieża and recently submitted my PhD thesis on wolf ecology. My colleagues at
@mriBialowieza
have been studying wolves for three decades and have perhaps published more original research articles on wolf ecology than any other team in Europe.
1
8
139
@wolski_jaros
@szymon_holownia
Ja akurat jestem mieszkańcem pogranicza. To co nam PiS zgotowało na tej granicy było nie do wytrzymania.
36
3
133
In Białowieża Forest we have found evidence for both direct and indirect impacts of wolves.
We have also found that these effects appear to cascade down the food chain to plants, which regenerate better in areas of high wolf activity.
Read on for more detail.
1
6
120
1) By killing prey, they lower prey abundances.
2) By instilling fear in prey, wolves influence prey behaviour.
As prey attempt to reduce their probability of being killed or disturbed, they can alter, e.g., their space-use, activity times or vigilance.
1
3
110
In this thread you will find out about the following:
How large carnivores suppress herbivore abundances in Białowieża Primeval Forest.
How the presence of wolves modifies herbivore behaviour.
How wolves affect forest regeneration.
1
6
108
But wolves not only affect their prey; they can also affect the species their prey eat. This is what ecologists term a trophic cascade.
For instance, trees can be affected as a consequence of wolves changing the abundances and behaviour of deer.
2
5
108
Meeting a bison in the woods never fails to be thrilling.
I met this big fella while picking bilberries on Friday. He was resting and ruminating in a dusty clearing. He seemed as surprised as I to meet anybody in the woods, and fled when he realised he was being observed by a
2
12
107
You can find my publications here
1
7
106
Wonders of Białowieża Forest
A pine marten running towards me this morning while I searched for rutting deer
3
9
103
Wolf effect 1) In Białowieża Forest, wolves reduce the population sizes of herbivores.
Long term monitoring of both ungulate and herbivore abundances suggests when wolf densities are high, herbivore populations are lowered by 10%.
6
2
103
The attached maps show the space use patterns of wolves and red deer; shaded red are areas of high activity of the given speciesd, shaded yellow are areas of low activity. Notice how red deer and wolf space use patterns are the opposite of each other.
1
6
101
Implications: In the Scottish Highlands, wolves may likewise alter deer spatial distributions, herbivore browsing regimes and therefore forest regeneration.
Reference:
1
8
97
@jacek_liberski
@pisorgpl
Byłem na filmie wczoraj. Treść filmu mniej więcej się zgadza z tym co się dzieje w lesie na Białoruskiej granicy. PiS ewidentnie się boi ze publiczność się dowie co tam tak naprawdę się dzieje.
9
10
94
In Białowieża Forest, the redistribution of red deer means vegetation in different parts of the Białowieża Forest landscape is subject to different levels of herbivore pressure.
1
7
94
Next in the list of effects: Wolves improve forest regeneration
As some deer are killed, and others change their behaviour to avoid foraging in risky places, trees can be relieved from browsing pressure. Read on for details.
1
8
94
If you want to know more about why this forest is special, see this paper:
2
8
91
Implications: The more an animal has to be vigilant, the less time it can spend feeding. Wolf reintroduction to Sctoland should lower red deer fitness and put a downard pressure on red deer numbers. It may also reduce red deer foraging in areas with a high risk of wolf predation.
1
5
93
The knowledge learned during our research may help you decide whether the benefits of having wolves around outweigh their costs.
2
3
93
Reference:
Implications: Tree logs in areas of high wolf activity create fine-scale patches of fear with reduced deer browsing pressure, thereby enhancing chances for successful tree recruitment.
1
8
92
Herbivore browsing was even lower when tree logs were nearby
The same study also looked at whether the presence of tree logs modifies the intensity herbivores browse trees. In areas of high wolf activity, when tree logs were nearby, browsing was 20% lower.
2
2
91
Let’s start with some basic information. How do wolves shape ecosystems?
They do so by impacting herbivores (like deer) and smaller carnivores (like the fox, badger) through two pathways:
1
3
91
A caveat: Large carnivore impacts are context dependent. Impacts that manifest in one area may not appear in another.
However, the knowledge from Białowieża Forest does give insight into what you can expect should wolves be reintroduced to the Scottish Highlands.
1
2
90
My colleagues found red deer were far more vigilant when there was a wolf scat nearby than when there wasn’t. Whereas wild boar couldn’t have cared less.
Reference:
2
3
89
If you enjoyed this thread, please scroll back to the top and retweet the initial post. You can also find me on Instagram where I regularly post photos from Europe’s last primeval forest
13
1
88
Consequently, browsing intolerant plant species may grow better in areas of high wolf activity. Indeed, my colleagues found the proportion of a common browsing-tolerant tree increased and the proportion of a browsing-intolerant tree decreased with increased herbivory pressure.
1
8
86
I put up a camera trap on my construction site in Białowieża Forest. Turns out I have canine building inspectors.
It's funny to imagine wolves will be running around my future house while I sleep.
3
12
95
Wolf effect 2) In Białowieża Forest, red deer avoid areas of high wolf activity (but other herbivores do not)
My colleagues looked into whether different herbivore species avoid areas of high wolf activity.
1
2
84
The spatial distributions of moose, bison, roe deer or wild boar were unrelated to wolf space use patterns. This is likely because wolves predate these species relatively infrequently and so they have no need to avoid wolves.
1
6
82
@GBNEWS
Morawiecki is living up to his nickname as pinocchio. Shame on you Portillo for giving a platform to the Polish populist far-right, who broke the law more times than I can remember over the past 8 years.
30
2
84
@AntoniSKostka
@wolski_jaros
Wolski robi wrażenie że jest skrytym fanem autorytaryzmu, inaczej nie da się wytłumaczyć tego i niektórych innych jego postów
7
0
84
This was a correlative study, and so it is difficult to prove cause and effect. But it’s the best data we’ve got.
Reference: If people want to see this data I can find it next time I’m at work. It's paper only.
1
2
82
Implications: It is reasonable to expect that ecologically functional densities of wolves elsewhere in Europe will have similar suppressive effects on herbivore population abundances.
1
3
80
Wolf effect 3) Wolves affect the time red deer spend vigilant.
My colleagues tested whether red deer and wild boar increase their vigilance when they smell a wolf scat nearby. Vigilance is where the animal has its head raised up looking for threats, indicating how scared it is.
1
2
78
Wolf effect 5) Herbivore browsing on trees is lower in areas of high wolf activity
My colleagues investigated whether herbivore browsing was lower in areas intensively used by wolves. They found tree browsing intensity was 8% lower in wolf core areas compared to outside them.
1
2
76
1. It’s a living museum
In a way, Białowieża Forest is Europe’s premier museum of natural history. Where in a conventional museum you’d see displays of stuffed animals and fossils, here you can walk through a prehistoric landscape replete with bogs, bison and ancient trees.
2
6
77
In another thread I will document what we know about how wolves shape the distributions and abundances of their smaller carnivore competitions (the topic of my PhD).
If there is interest, perhaps I will write further threads on what we know about the threat wolves pose to
14
3
75
Old, deciduous forest.
Deciduous forests grow on fertile soils, and so across Europe they were cleared to make way for farmland. Old-growth deciduous woods thrive in Białowieża Forest, covering most of its area.
Big trees, small trees and everything in between, a walk in
1
4
75
Jurassic Park-like, bog forests.
Most European wetlands were drained centuries ago to make way for farmland. But Białowieża Forest has retained its bogs, covering some 30% of the forest’s area. Often submerged, murky and inaccessible, it is here you can feel the inhospitable
1
4
74
Wild, meandering rivers lined by wet forests and swamps swarming with beavers.
Most rivers in Europe have been straightened and lined with pasture or plantations. Beside healthy rivers grow riparian woodlands, intermediate ecosystems marking the transition between the world of
1
4
72
Huge, dead trees standing, leaning or lying around all over the place
In most European forests, dead trees are removed and sold. But in natural ecosystems they form an essential component of the circle of life. Myriad species, many endangered, make their living or homes in dead
1
2
72
Red deer avoided coming close to tree logs and were more vigilant when logs were present nearby. The strength of these effects depended on how intensively wolves used the local area; deer perceived tree logs as more risky when wolves were more often present in a given area.
1
2
71
The region remains largely off the beaten trail, and so peace & quiet is guaranteed. I’ve been writing a tourist guide if you ever need one. End🧵.
4
3
66
Ever wondered how wolves cross rivers?
They simply bundle themselves in head first and paddle to the other side.
The video was recorded a few years ago after we noticed wolf and lynx tracks at a riverside. We left camera traps for three months and were rewarded with this
0
8
66
Wolf effect 4) Tree logs magnify the effect of wolves on deer behaviour.
In another experiment my colleagues explored whether herbivores increase their vigilance when near tree logs.
1
2
67
@EPPGroup
Cheap propaganda. Why don't you contrast those numbers with the benefits that wolves provide to society?
1
3
68
Implications: These studies suggest that to maximise the wolf’s ecological role we should combine wolf presence with a diverse landscape structure that contains escape impediments. Managed plantation forests often lack such habitat features.
1
3
65
Tree logs are an escape impediment for herbivores, logs pose an escape impediment to herbivores, which may therefore avoid the vicinity of such barriers to reduce their chances of being killed by wolves
1
1
61
@WilkoszKarol
@MarcinPalade
@IBRiS_PL
@onetpl
@pisorgpl
@KObywatelska
@KONFEDERACJA_
@__Lewica
@BezpartyjniSam
@PLJestJedna
Ktoś zrobił film fabularny więc ludzie zagłosują na kleptokracje? Przecież ten argument kupy się nie trzyma 😂
17
0
58
@ClarkeMicah
@MailOnline
I guess it's also bad to suggest the Russian invasion of Ukraine was provoked, as it's just making excuses for evil.
8
3
59
While civilisation has transformed and simplified Europe’s topography over time, Białowieża Forest has been largely preserved. The following are the hallmarks of this 11,000-year-old landscape.
2
5
59
Implications: I think it is reasonable to predict that if wolves are reintroduced to Scotland, the proportion of trees growing out of herbivore control will be higher where wolf activity is high and where escape impediments like logs are present.
1
1
58
@tomaawroblewski
Reforma TVP była jedną z ich deklaracji wyborczych. Wyborcy oczekują jak najszybsze zwolnienie propagandzistów
35
0
58
The EU executive is writing mumbo jumbo about wolves.
In my opinion, the wolf debate is poor enough without authoritative institutions confusing things further.
The EC should share what they know about the following:
-Where the concentration of wolf packs is too high.
-What
The concentration of wolf packs has become a danger for livestock and potentially for humans.
We urge local and national authorities to take action where necessary.
Local communities, scientists and others are also invited to submit data on wolves and their impacts ↓
572
137
341
2
17
57
6. It’s the home of Europe’s biggest land animal
The bison is Europe’s weightiest megafauna, a Polish national symbol, and the forest’s mascot. It survived to the modern age under the protection of Lithuanian, Polish and Russian kings. Although the species went extinct during
2
3
54
3. The forest is a refuge for endangered species
This relatively undisturbed, ancient forest hosts relict species, like the hermit beetle and three-toed woodpecker. Over the past few centuries, these species have become homeless as the intact woodlands upon which these species
1
3
53
@PWichniewicz
@RGwiazdowski
@KarnowskiJakub
Zatłoczone stare i wolne pociągi, ceny absurdalne, i wcale nie jest tak czysto
8
1
52
The Polish government plans to increase by 3000 ha the zone in Białowieża Forest where logging is permitted. This area hosts well preserved natural forest, natural secondary growth and myriad protected species. I feel like we're returning to the politics of the 20th century.
Ze strony
#InstytutOchronySrodowiska
padła propozycja zwiększenia strefy zakładającej wyręby w Obiekcie UNESCO Puszcza Białowieska. W drzewostanach ponadstuletnich, w miejscach w których świetnie odnawia się dąb, gdzie roi się od chronionych gatunków...
3
11
20
4
26
54
@CzarnekP
Wille z publicznych pieniedzy dla Pana kumpli ok, ale pieniądze na badania naukowe już nie ok. Kabaret
2
0
52
Summary of wolf ecosystem impacts in Białowieża Primeval Forest:
· Herbivore abundances are reduced by 10% when large carnivore abundances are high.
· Red deer, particularly females, avoid using parts of the landscape where wolf activity is high.
1
4
51
Hidden in a glade on the outskirts of Białowieża Forest stands a piece of local heritage: a charming abandoned manor whose history is intertwined with the region’s dramatic 20th century.
Here follows its story ⬇️
3
8
53
In winter you can spot herds of over 100 bison individuals. As a child I thought such sights existed only in history books. Yet here they are.
Looking into the eyes of these ancient beasts is the highlight of many people’s trip to Białowieża Forest.
1
1
52
Wolf effect 6) The presence of fallen trees increases the positive impact of wolves on forest regeneration
Another paper explored the effect of tree logs in more detail.
1
1
50
Moreover, the magnitude of these effects varied depending on the level of wolf predation risk, with browsing intensity being most reduced around tree logs in areas with high wolf risk (up to 37%) and the smallest in low-risk areas (< 20%).
Reference:
1
3
50
This shows that a higher presence of wolves is not the sole factor determining the wolf’s effect on forest regeneration: fine-scale risk factors such as tree logs also play an important role.
1
1
50
CAVEAT: These effects of the wolf on the red deer diet were only observed in Białowieża National Park (strictly protected old-growth forest). They did not occur in the managed forest, where occur extensive tracts of monoculture plantations and hunting.
1
1
48
Wolf effect 7) Wolf activity level alters the diet of red deer (the wolf’s main prey) but not bison (rarely preyed upon)
My colleagues found that red deer in areas of wolf high activity ate more deciduous tree species and less forbs than in low wolf-use areas.
1
2
50
In conclusion, the recovery of Europe’s large carnivores has raised hopes that restored ecosystem structure and function will help mitigate the problems large herbivores cause.
But context dependency makes me hesitant to make any specific predictions as to the effects wolves
1
3
49
A bison grazing in the eastern Polish savannah. We're privileged in Białowieża to have such views on our morning walks.
2
9
48
If you've been wondering where is is - it's 200 km due east of Warsaw, Poland's capital.
3
2
48
A cultural highlight is the history of the bear. In the 1930s, the world’s first large carnivore reintroduction was tested here. The project was heading for success till WW2 burned down the world. Picture from Samojlik et. al. 2018.
In 2019 during field work I recorded the first
1
1
49