Mellanspettens förutsättningar för återintroduktion i Linköping : Med fokus på krav på kvalitet och storlek samt avstånd mellan habitat.

Sammanfattning: Humans have a large impact on biodiversity, especially by causing habitat loss and habitat degradation but also through human-induced climate change. Because of habitat loss and habitat degradation the Middle-spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos medius) went extinct in Sweden 1983. Globally the Middle-spotted woodpecker is today listed as least concern but because of human-induced climate change the species might be threatened in the whole world in the future. Different ways to help the species is by protection of potential habitat, restoration or reintroduction. The aim of this study is to help the Middle-spotted woodpecker survive in the future by facilitate its potential progress to Sweden, Linköping. One way to help the species is by investigating if a reintroduction is possible. Therefore, I created a habitat model of the Middle-spotted woodpecker based on published studies and used the model to analyze the landscape for possible sites of reintroduction. Results from published studies showed that the species require at least 20 hectares oak forest per breeding pair, a high density of mature oak and more potential habitat to distribute to, within a 10-kilometer distance. Four areas in Linköping fulfilled all the requirements but only two of them were situated in less than 10 kilometers from each other. A successful reintroduction of the Middle-spotted woodpecker requires a landscape with at least 15-20 potential habitat in a near distance to each other. Therefore, a reintroduction of Middle-spotted woodpecker is not possible in Linköping unless more habitats is restored.