1
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Gaynor KM. A big-headed problem drives an ecological chain reaction. Science 2024; 383:370-371. [PMID: 38271504 DOI: 10.1126/science.adn3484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Disruption of key species interactions reverberates across an African savanna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Departments of Zoology and Botany, The University of British Columbia (Musqueam) Territory, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
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2
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Dong J, Anderson LJ. Predicted impacts of global change on bottom-up trophic interactions in the plant-ungulate-wolf food chain in boreal forests. FOOD WEBS 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2022.e00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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3
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Stepkovitch B, Kingsford RT, Moseby KE. A comprehensive review of mammalian carnivore translocations. Mamm Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Stepkovitch
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Richard T. Kingsford
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Katherine E. Moseby
- Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences UNSW Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
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4
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Thompson JJ, Velilla M, Cabral H, Cantero N, Bonzi VR, Britez E, Campos Krauer JM, McBride RT, Ayala R, Cartes JL. Jaguar (Panthera onca) population density and landscape connectivity in a deforestation hotspot: The Paraguayan Dry Chaco as a case study. Perspect Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pecon.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022] Open
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5
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Donadio E, Di Martino S, Heinonen S. Rewilding Argentina: lessons for the 2030 biodiversity targets. Nature 2022; 603:225-227. [DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-00631-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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6
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Brice EM, Larsen EJ, MacNulty DR. Sampling bias exaggerates a textbook example of a trophic cascade. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:177-188. [PMID: 34748261 PMCID: PMC9298920 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Understanding trophic cascades in terrestrial wildlife communities is a major challenge because these systems are difficult to sample properly. We show how a tradition of non-random sampling has confounded this understanding in a textbook system (Yellowstone National Park) where carnivore [Canis lupus (wolf)] recovery is associated with a trophic cascade involving changes in herbivore [Cervus canadensis (elk)] behaviour and density that promote plant regeneration. Long-term data indicate a practice of sampling only the tallest young plants overestimated regeneration of overstory aspen (Populus tremuloides) by a factor of 4-7 compared to random sampling because it favoured plants taller than the preferred browsing height of elk and overlooked non-regenerating aspen stands. Random sampling described a trophic cascade, but it was weaker than the one that non-random sampling described. Our findings highlight the critical importance of basic sampling principles (e.g. randomisation) for achieving an accurate understanding of trophic cascades in terrestrial wildlife systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine M. Brice
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
| | - Eric J. Larsen
- Department of Geography and GeologyUniversity of Wisconsin – Stevens PointStevens PointWisconsinUSA
| | - Daniel R. MacNulty
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology CenterUtah State UniversityLoganUtahUSA
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7
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Mols B, Lambers E, Cromsigt JPGM, Kuijper DPJ, Smit C. Recreation and hunting differentially affect deer behaviour and sapling performance. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bjorn Mols
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Evert Lambers
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
| | - Joris P. G. M. Cromsigt
- Dept of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences Umeå Sweden
- Dept of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Univ. Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | | | - Christian Smit
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Inst. for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Univ. of Groningen Groningen the Netherlands
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8
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The fox who cried wolf: A keywords and literature trend analysis on the phenomenon of mesopredator release. ECOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecocom.2021.100963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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9
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Castle G, Smith D, Allen LR, Allen BL. Terrestrial mesopredators did not increase after top-predator removal in a large-scale experimental test of mesopredator release theory. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18205. [PMID: 34521924 PMCID: PMC8440509 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97634-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Removal or loss of top-predators has been predicted to cause cascading negative effects for ecosystems, including mesopredator release. However, reliable evidence for these processes in terrestrial systems has been mixed and equivocal due, in large part, to the systemic and continued use of low-inference study designs to investigate this issue. Even previous large-scale manipulative experiments of strong inferential value have been limited by experimental design features (i.e. failure to prevent migration between treatments) that constrain possible inferences about the presence or absence of mesopredator release effects. Here, we build on these previous strong-inference experiments and report the outcomes of additional large-scale manipulative experiments to eradicate Australian dingoes from two fenced areas where dingo migration was restricted and where theory would predict an increase in extant European red foxes, feral cats and goannas. We demonstrate the removal and suppression of dingoes to undetectable levels over 4–5 years with no corresponding increases in mesopredator relative abundances, which remained low and stable throughout the experiment at both sites. We further demonstrate widespread absence of negative relationships between predators, indicating that the mechanism underpinning predicted mesopredator releases was not present. Our results are consistent with all previous large-scale manipulative experiments and long-term mensurative studies which collectively demonstrate that (1) dingoes do not suppress red foxes, feral cats or goannas at the population level, (2) repeated, temporary suppression of dingoes in open systems does not create mesopredator release effects, and (3) removal and sustained suppression of dingoes to undetectable levels in closed systems does not create mesopredator release effects either. Our experiments add to similar reports from North America, Asia, Europe and southern Africa which indicate that not only is there a widespread absence of reliable evidence for these processes, but there is also a large and continually growing body of experimental evidence of absence for these processes in many terrestrial systems. We conclude that although sympatric predators may interact negatively with each other on smaller spatiotemporal scales, that these negative interactions do not always scale-up to the population level, nor are they always strong enough to create mesopredator suppression or release effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoff Castle
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia
| | - Deane Smith
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia.,NSW Department of Primary Industries, Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia
| | - Lee R Allen
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland Government, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Allen
- Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia. .,Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, 6034, South Africa.
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10
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Sévêque A, Gentle LK, Vicente López‐Bao J, Yarnell RW, Uzal A. Impact of human disturbance on temporal partitioning within carnivore communities. Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Sévêque
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell NottinghamshireNG25 0QFUK
| | - Louise K. Gentle
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell NottinghamshireNG25 0QFUK
| | | | - Richard W. Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell NottinghamshireNG25 0QFUK
| | - Antonio Uzal
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Nottingham Trent University Southwell NottinghamshireNG25 0QFUK
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11
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Klauder K, Borg BL, Prugh LR. Living on the edge: spatial response of coyotes (Canis latrans) to wolves (Canis lupus) in the subarctic. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how mesopredators manage the risks associated with apex predators is key to explaining impacts of apex predators on mesopredator populations and patterns of mesopredator space use. Here we examine the spatial response of coyotes (Canis latrans Say, 1823) to risk posed by wolves (Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758) using data from sympatric individuals fitted with GPS collars in subarctic Alaska, USA, near the northern range limit for coyotes. We show that coyotes do not universally avoid wolves, but instead demonstrate season-specific responses to both wolf proximity and long-term use of the landscape by wolves. Specifically, coyotes switched from avoiding wolves in summer to preferring areas with wolves in winter, and this selection was consistent across short-term and longer term temporal scales. In the summer, coyotes responded less strongly to risk of wolves when in open areas than when in closed vegetation. We also demonstrate that coyotes maintain extremely large territories averaging 291 km2, and experience low annual survival (0.50) with large carnivores being the largest source of mortality. This combination of attraction and avoidance predicated on season and landcover suggests that mesopredators use complex behavioral strategies to mediate the effects of apex predators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaija Klauder
- University of Washington, College of the Environment, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195-2100, USA
| | - Bridget L. Borg
- National Park Service, Denali National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box 9, Denali Park, AK 99755, USA
| | - Laura R. Prugh
- University of Washington, College of the Environment, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195-2100, USA
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12
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Moro D, Morris K, van Leeuwen S, Davie H. A framework of integrated research for managing introduced predators in the Pilbara bioregion, Western Australia. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/am20025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The effective control of wild dogs, feral cats and foxes is of primary interest to land managers, both for biodiversity conservation and for the protection of livestock. Control programs primarily target single species within the context of biodiversity conservation or livestock practices, but their effectiveness in depressing predator densities is unclear because monitoring is limited or not conducted. Here, we review and discuss the outcomes of a workshop to identify research priorities for managing predation on native fauna by introduced predators in the Pilbara bioregion in Western Australia. We suggest that the control of introduced predators will be most effective if it is implemented at a landscape-scale comprising integrated predator management that considers interspecific (predator) interactions combined with standardised monitoring to measure the effectiveness and benefits of control. Four research themes were identified: (1) collation and collection of baseline data, (2) effective monitoring of introduced predators, (3) understanding functional (ecological) roles of introduced predators within the different ecosystem contexts, and (4) identifying novel complementary approaches to protect threatened species. These themes collectively include research areas that invest in foundational, ecological and alternative biological parameters in research to close knowledge gaps related to the functional roles of introduced predators in the landscape. Addressing these research themes will assist land managers to achieve outcomes that address the needs of both biodiversity conservation and pastoral production. This framework is timely given the ongoing investment in offset funding being mobilised in the region.
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13
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Gable TD, Johnson-Bice SM, Homkes AT, Windels SK, Bump JK. Outsized effect of predation: Wolves alter wetland creation and recolonization by killing ecosystem engineers. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/46/eabc5439. [PMID: 33188026 PMCID: PMC7673763 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc5439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Gray wolves are a premier example of how predators can transform ecosystems through trophic cascades. However, whether wolves change ecosystems as drastically as previously suggested has been increasingly questioned. We demonstrate how wolves alter wetland creation and recolonization by killing dispersing beavers. Beavers are ecosystem engineers that generate most wetland creation throughout boreal ecosystems. By studying beaver pond creation and recolonization patterns coupled with wolf predation on beavers, we determined that 84% of newly created and recolonized beaver ponds remained occupied until the fall, whereas 0% of newly created and recolonized ponds remained active after a wolf killed the dispersing beaver that colonized that pond. By affecting where and when beavers engineer ecosystems, wolves alter all of the ecological processes (e.g., water storage, nutrient cycling, and forest succession) that occur due to beaver-created impoundments. Our study demonstrates how predators have an outsized effect on ecosystems when they kill ecosystem engineers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA.
| | - Sean M Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Austin T Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA
| | - Steve K Windels
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA
- Voyageurs National Park, 360 Highway 11 E, International Falls, MN 56649, USA
| | - Joseph K Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN 55801, USA
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14
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Comley J, Joubert CJ, Mgqatsa N, Parker DM. Lions do not change rivers: Complex African savannas preclude top-down forcing by large carnivores. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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15
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Abstract
Abstract
The critical agenda for mammalian ecologists over this century is to obtain a synthetic and predictive understanding of the factors that limit the distribution and abundance of mammals on Earth. During the last 100 years, a start has been made on this agenda, but only a start. Most mammal species have been described, but there still are tropical areas of undisclosed species richness. We have been measuring changes in distribution and abundance of many common mammals during the last century, and this monitoring agenda has become more critical as climate change has accelerated and habitat destruction has increased with human population growth. There are a small number of factors that can limit the distribution and abundance of mammals: weather, predation, food supplies, disease, and social behavior. Weather limits distribution and abundance mostly in an indirect manner by affecting food supplies, disease, and predation in the short term and habitat composition and structure in the longer term. A good starting point for all studies of mammals is to define them within a well-structured trophic web, and then quantify the major linkages within that web. We still are far from having data on enough model systems to develop a complete theory and understanding of how food webs are structured and constrained as climate shifts and humans disturb habitats. We have many of the bits and pieces for some of our major ecosystems but a poor understanding of the links and the resilience of our mammalian communities to changes in trophic webs driven by climate change and human disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles J Krebs
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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16
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Sévêque A, Gentle LK, López-Bao JV, Yarnell RW, Uzal A. Human disturbance has contrasting effects on niche partitioning within carnivore communities. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1689-1705. [PMID: 32666614 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among species, coexistence is driven partly by the partitioning of available resources. The mechanisms of coexistence and competition among species have been a central topic within community ecology, with particular focus on mammalian carnivore community research. However, despite growing concern regarding the impact of humans on the behaviour of species, very little is known about the effect of humans on species interactions. The aim of this review is to establish a comprehensive framework for the impacts of human disturbance on three dimensions (spatial, temporal and trophic) of niche partitioning within carnivore communities and subsequent effects on both intraguild competition and community structure. We conducted a systematic review of the literature on carnivore niche partitioning (246 studies) and extracted 46 reported effects of human disturbance. We found evidence that human disturbance impacts resource partitioning, either positively or negatively, in all three niche dimensions. The repercussions of such variations are highly heterogeneous and differ according to both the type of human disturbance and how the landscape and/or availability of resources are affected. We propose a theoretical framework of the three main outcomes for the impacts of human disturbance on intraguild competition and carnivore community structure: (i) human disturbance impedes niche partitioning, increasing intraguild competition and reducing the richness and diversity of the community; (ii) human disturbance unbalances niche partitioning and intraguild competition, affecting community stability; and (iii) human disturbance facilitates niche partitioning, decreasing intraguild competition and enriching the community. We call for better integration of the impact of humans on carnivore communities in future research on interspecific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Sévêque
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
| | - Louise K Gentle
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
| | - José V López-Bao
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, Mieres, 33600, Spain
| | - Richard W Yarnell
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
| | - Antonio Uzal
- School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Nottingham Trent University, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0QF, UK
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17
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Roder S, Biollaz F, Mettaz S, Zimmermann F, Manz R, Kéry M, Vignali S, Fumagalli L, Arlettaz R, Braunisch V. Deer density drives habitat use of establishing wolves in the Western European Alps. J Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Roder
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - François Biollaz
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Mettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | | | - Ralph Manz
- KORACarnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management Muri Switzerland
| | - Marc Kéry
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | - Sergio Vignali
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Luca Fumagalli
- Laboratory for Conservation Biology Department of Ecology and Evolution University of Lausanne Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Raphaël Arlettaz
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
- Swiss Ornithological Institute Sempach Switzerland
| | - Veronika Braunisch
- Division of Conservation Biology Institute of Ecology and Evolution University of Bern Bern Switzerland
- Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Germany
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18
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Rafiq K, Hayward MW, Wilson AM, Meloro C, Jordan NR, Wich SA, McNutt JW, Golabek KA. Spatial and temporal overlaps between leopards (
Panthera pardus
) and their competitors in the African large predator guild. J Zool (1987) 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. Rafiq
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Maun Botswana
| | - M. W. Hayward
- School of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Newcastle Newcastle NSW Australia
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth South Africa
| | - A. M. Wilson
- Structure and Motion Lab Royal Veterinary College University of London Hatfield UK
| | - C. Meloro
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
| | - N. R. Jordan
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Maun Botswana
- Centre for Ecosystem Science University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia
- Taronga Conservation Society Dubbo NSW Australia
| | - S. A. Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
| | - J. W. McNutt
- Botswana Predator Conservation Trust Maun Botswana
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19
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Falconer S, Ford AT. Evaluating policy-relevant surrogate taxa for biodiversity conservation: a case study from British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Conservation efforts often lead to a small proportion of species receiving a disproportionate amount of attention. This bias in funding may help or hinder broader goals of biodiversity conservation depending on the surrogacy value of the well-funded species. Surrogate species are selected to represent other taxa in a shared environment when it would be costly or impractical to obtain information on individual taxa. We compared the surrogacy value of common groups of taxa implicated in conservation — game species, carnivores, non-game species, and other species. Using a publicly available data set of species–habitat associations, we compared the surrogacy value for 1012 species and 64 habitat types in British Columbia, Canada. We used a conditional entropy metric to quantify pairwise associations between species via their occurrence in different habitat types. Our analysis reveals that game and non-game species surrogacy groups do not significantly differ in either the frequency of captured pairwise associations or their coverage of species. These results suggest that funding game species conservation is likely conferring some benefits to non-game species, but optimal habitat-based conservation outcomes will come from a combination of taxa. This analysis provides an important step in influencing management decisions for the preservation of biodiversity in British Columbia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Falconer
- Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
- Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Adam T. Ford
- Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
- Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus, 1177 Research Road, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
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Meuret M, Moulin CH, Bonnet O, Garde L, Nozières-Petit MO, Lescureux N. Missing shots: has the possibility of shooting wolves been lacking for 20 years in France. RANGELAND JOURNAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/rj20046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Wolves were exterminated in France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Therefore, livestock breeders and herders were unprepared when wolves arrived from Italy in 1993, the year after France committed to the European Union (EU) to protect wolves. Today, ~580 wolves, whose numbers are growing exponentially, are present in over one-third of France. During the last 10 years, livestock deaths from wolves have grown linearly from 3215 in 2009 to 12451 in 2019, despite France implementing extensive damage protection measures since 2004, including reinforced human presence, livestock guard dogs, secured pasture fencing and electrified night pens. The failure to prevent damage is clear. Wolves enter mosaic landscapes where grazing livestock are abundant and easy prey. Wolves are intelligent and opportunistic. As a strictly protected species, it seems they no longer associate livestock with humans and humans with danger. Half of the successful attacks now occur during the day, notwithstanding the presence of dogs and humans. Considering the high costs of unsatisfactory protection, France recently modified its wolf management policy. In addition to non-lethal means of protection, breeders that have suffered several attacks by wolves are now permitted, by derogation to the law, to defensively shoot wolves. Based upon evidence from other countries, we suggest re-establishing a reciprocal relationship with wolves. Breeders and herders should be allowed to shoot wolves to defend their herds against wolf attacks, not after several successful predation events. Defence shooting would also upgrade the efficiency of non-lethal means, as warning signals for wolves to respect. Rather than passive coexistence, we need to embrace a dynamic and ever-evolving process of coadaptation between humans and wolves, relying on the adaptive capacities of both.
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21
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Pedersen S, Angelstam P, Ferguson MA, Wabakken P, Storaas T. Impacts of wolves on rural economies from recreational small game hunting. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-019-1319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Centralized management of large carnivore populations in rural and remote landscapes used by local people often leads to conflicts between the objectives of wildlife conservation and rural development. We tested the hypothesis that the presence of wolves indirectly reduces landowner revenues from traditional small game hunting, and that landowner revenues are more variable closer to wolf territories. The assumed mechanism is that hunters fear that their economically and culturally valuable hunting dogs may be killed by wolves, which results in reduced hunting, and thus reduced revenues for landowners where and when wolves occur. To determine the effect of wolf presence on revenues from sport hunting, we obtained data from 1990 to 2009 on income from small game management areas, in Hedmark and Oppland Counties in Norway, as well as locations of wolf territories. Small game management areas experienced increased sport hunting revenue with increasing distance to the closest wolf territory. Also, inter-annual variation in revenue decreased with increasing distance from wolf territories. Thus, wolf presence may reduce landowners’ revenues from small game hunting, and cause higher economic variability in rural communities. It is important to note that while the economic impacts of wolves may be compensated where governments have the will and the economic resources, the impacts on the lifestyles of rural people (e.g. hunter’s fear of losing prized dogs to wolves) will remain controversial.
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Mann GK, Wilkinson A, Hayward J, Drouilly M, O’Riain MJ, Parker DM. The effects of aridity on land use, biodiversity and dietary breadth in leopards. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Kelt DA, Heske EJ, Lambin X, Oli MK, Orrock JL, Ozgul A, Pauli JN, Prugh LR, Sollmann R, Sommer S. Advances in population ecology and species interactions in mammals. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe study of mammals has promoted the development and testing of many ideas in contemporary ecology. Here we address recent developments in foraging and habitat selection, source–sink dynamics, competition (both within and between species), population cycles, predation (including apparent competition), mutualism, and biological invasions. Because mammals are appealing to the public, ecological insight gleaned from the study of mammals has disproportionate potential in educating the public about ecological principles and their application to wise management. Mammals have been central to many computational and statistical developments in recent years, including refinements to traditional approaches and metrics (e.g., capture-recapture) as well as advancements of novel and developing fields (e.g., spatial capture-recapture, occupancy modeling, integrated population models). The study of mammals also poses challenges in terms of fully characterizing dynamics in natural conditions. Ongoing climate change threatens to affect global ecosystems, and mammals provide visible and charismatic subjects for research on local and regional effects of such change as well as predictive modeling of the long-term effects on ecosystem function and stability. Although much remains to be done, the population ecology of mammals continues to be a vibrant and rapidly developing field. We anticipate that the next quarter century will prove as exciting and productive for the study of mammals as has the recent one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas A Kelt
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Edward J Heske
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Xavier Lambin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Madan K Oli
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - John L Orrock
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Arpat Ozgul
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan N Pauli
- Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Laura R Prugh
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Rahel Sollmann
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, & Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Stefan Sommer
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Brink H, Purcell BV, Letnic M, Webster HS, Appleby RG, Jordan NR. Pets and pests: a review of the contrasting economics and fortunes of dingoes and domestic dogs in Australia, and a proposed new funding scheme for non-lethal dingo management. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Carnivore conservation and management is complex and expensive, and significant ongoing management costs may inhibit the development of new tools and any subsequent transition away from lethal control. We review and compare the economic costs and benefits of dingoes and domestic dogs in Australia and suggest that public affinity for domestic dogs may be co-opted into yielding more positive management outcomes for dingoes. Whereas Australians spend over AU$10 billion annually on purchasing and maintaining 4.2 million domestic dogs, landowners and government spend at least AU$30 million attempting to limit the density and distribution of dingoes, feral dogs, and their hybrids. These contrasting investments highlight the dual response of society towards domestic and wild members of the Canis genus. We suggest that a modest conservation levy on the sale of pet dogs or dog food, or both, could secure long-term funding to support efficacious non-lethal management of dingo impacts. A modest levy could generate AU$30 million annually, funding the development of non-lethal dingo-management tools without compromising existing management practices while new tools are investigated. Ultimately, a transition away from controlling dingoes through culling or exclusion fencing, to managing the negative impacts of dingoes could result in both more successful and sustainable management outcomes of dingoes and support the ecological, cultural and economic benefits they confer as Australia’s apex predator.
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Reddy CS, Yosef R, Calvi G, Fornasari L. Inter-specific competition influences apex predator–prey populations. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/wr19011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextTiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus) and dhole (Cuon alpinus) represent a typical multi-predator system of species of conservation concern. Several studies have addressed this system, with heterogeneous results, and there’s a lack of information on population dynamics of multi-species assemblages. We studied a time series (1998–2009) of abundance indices for three predators and five prey species in Bor Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS), Maharashtra, India, before it was declared as Bor Tiger Reserve (BTR) in 2009.
AimsTo analyse the complex relationships within a predator–prey system in a dynamic fashion, to analyse data collected in a stable and undisturbed area and to form a comparison basis for future studies within the sanctuary after its declaration as a Tiger Reserve.
MethodsA 24-h effort was made annually to census the BWS. Predators were counted at waterholes from arboreal hideouts. The prey populations were censused along 353-km line-transects. For each species, we analysed the yearly growth rate, testing the effect of inter-species abundance.
Key resultsTiger growth rate did not depend on any particular prey, whereas mesopredators seemed to depend on medium-sized prey. A die-out of dholes in 2001 was followed by an increase in tiger populations (from 4 to 11), which, in turn, negatively affected leopard numbers (from 6 to 2).We found no direct evidence of top-down effect, but the density dependence for three of five prey species could be linked to predation pressure. We found some evidence of interspecific competition among prey species, especially among ungulates, potentially being mediated by predation pressure.
ConclusionsThe relationships among species in a predator–prey system are very complex and often could be explained only by more-than-two-species interactions. The disappearance of one predator, not necessarily the top predator, could bring multiple effects, for which it could be difficult to detect causal relationships.
ImplicationsAll subsequent changes in human activities in the sanctuary, as a consequence of its designation as the BTR in 2009, should be evaluated with respect to the results of the present study. The conservation of large predators should rely on the maintenance of a rich and abundant prey base, in which different-sized prey could lessen interactive-competition among the predators.
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Anthony BP, Tarr K. The wolves are back! Local attitudes towards the recently re-populated grey wolf and wolf management in Bükk National Park, Hungary. ACTA ZOOL ACAD SCI H 2019. [DOI: 10.17109/azh.65.2.195.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Abade L, Cusack J, Moll RJ, Strampelli P, Dickman AJ, Macdonald DW, Montgomery RA. Spatial variation in leopard (Panthera pardus) site use across a gradient of anthropogenic pressure in Tanzania's Ruaha landscape. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204370. [PMID: 30304040 PMCID: PMC6179245 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding large carnivore occurrence patterns in anthropogenic landscapes adjacent to protected areas is central to developing actions for species conservation in an increasingly human-dominated world. Among large carnivores, leopards (Panthera pardus) are the most widely distributed felid. Leopards occupying anthropogenic landscapes frequently come into conflict with humans, which often results in leopard mortality. Leopards' use of anthropogenic landscapes, and their frequent involvement with conflict, make them an insightful species for understanding the determinants of carnivore occurrence across human-dominated habitats. We evaluated the spatial variation in leopard site use across a multiple-use landscape in Tanzania's Ruaha landscape. Our study region encompassed i) Ruaha National Park, where human activities were restricted and sport hunting was prohibited; ii) the Pawaga-Idodi Wildlife Management Area, where wildlife sport hunting, wildlife poaching, and illegal pastoralism all occurred at relatively low levels; and iii) surrounding village lands where carnivores and other wildlife were frequently exposed to human-carnivore conflict related-killings and agricultural habitat conversion and development. We investigated leopard occurrence across the study region via an extensive camera trapping network. We estimated site use as a function of environmental (i.e. habitat and anthropogenic) variables using occupancy models within a Bayesian framework. We observed a steady decline in leopard site use with downgrading protected area status from the national park to the Wildlife Management Area and village lands. Our findings suggest that human-related activities such as increased livestock presence and proximity to human households exerted stronger influence than prey availability on leopard site use, and were the major limiting factors of leopard distribution across the gradient of human pressure, especially in the village lands outside Ruaha National Park. Overall, our study provides valuable information about the determinants of spatial distribution of leopards in human-dominated landscapes that can help inform conservation strategies in the borderlands adjacent to protected areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Abade
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Remington J. Moll
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Paolo Strampelli
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Amy J. Dickman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - David W. Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney, Abingdon, United Kingdom
- Research on the Ecology of Carnivores and Their Prey Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
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Haswell PM, Jones KA, Kusak J, Hayward MW. Fear, foraging and olfaction: how mesopredators avoid costly interactions with apex predators. Oecologia 2018; 187:573-583. [PMID: 29654482 PMCID: PMC6018578 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4133-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Where direct killing is rare and niche overlap low, sympatric carnivores may appear to coexist without conflict. Interference interactions, harassment and injury from larger carnivores may still pose a risk to smaller mesopredators. Foraging theory suggests that animals should adjust their behaviour accordingly to optimise foraging efficiency and overall fitness, trading off harvest rate with costs to fitness. The foraging behaviour of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, was studied with automated cameras and a repeated measures giving-up density (GUD) experiment where olfactory risk cues were manipulated. In Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia, red foxes increased GUDs by 34% and quitting harvest rates by 29% in response to wolf urine. In addition to leaving more food behind, foxes also responded to wolf urine by spending less time visiting food patches each day and altering their behaviour in order to compensate for the increased risk when foraging from patches. Thus, red foxes utilised olfaction to assess risk and experienced foraging costs due to the presence of a cue from gray wolves, Canis lupus. This study identifies behavioural mechanisms which may enable competing predators to coexist, and highlights the potential for additional ecosystem service pathways arising from the behaviour of large carnivores. Given the vulnerability of large carnivores to anthropogenic disturbance, a growing human population and intensifying resource consumption, it becomes increasingly important to understand ecological processes so that land can be managed appropriately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Haswell
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.
- UK Wolf Conservation Trust, Butlers Farm, Beenham, Berkshire, RG7 5NT, UK.
| | - Katherine A Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Josip Kusak
- Department of Biology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Matt W Hayward
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
- School of Environment Natural Resources and Geography, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- Centre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Codron D, Radloff FG, Codron J, Kerley GI, Tambling CJ. Meso-Carnivore Niche Expansion in Response to an Apex Predator's Reintroduction - a Stable Isotope Approach. AFRICAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2018. [DOI: 10.3957/056.048.013004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daryl Codron
- Florisbad Quaternary Research Department, National Museum, P.O. Box 266, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa
| | - Frans G.T. Radloff
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline Codron
- Florisbad Quaternary Research Department, National Museum, P.O. Box 266, Bloemfontein, 9300 South Africa
| | - Graham I.H. Kerley
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Craig J. Tambling
- Centre for African Conservation Ecology, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
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Allen BL, Fawcett A, Anker A, Engeman RM, Lisle A, Leung LKP. Environmental effects are stronger than human effects on mammalian predator-prey relationships in arid Australian ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 610-611:451-461. [PMID: 28818660 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2017] [Revised: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Climate (drought, rainfall), geology (habitat availability), land use change (provision of artificial waterpoints, introduction of livestock), invasive species (competition, predation), and direct human intervention (lethal control of top-predators) have each been identified as processes driving the sustainability of threatened fauna populations. We used a systematic combination of empirical observational studies and experimental manipulations to comprehensively evaluate the effects of these process on a model endangered rodent, dusky hopping-mice (Notomys fuscus). We established a large manipulative experiment in arid Australia, and collected information from relative abundance indices, camera traps, GPS-collared dingoes (Canis familiaris) and dingo scats, along with a range of related environmental data (e.g. rainfall, habitat type, distance to artificial water etc.). We show that hopping-mice populations were most strongly influenced by geological and climatic effects of resource availability and rainfall, and not land use, invasive species, or human effects of livestock grazing, waterpoint provision, or the lethal control of dingoes. Hopping-mice distribution declined along a geological gradient of more to less available hopping-mice habitat (sand dunes), and their abundance was driven by rainfall. Hopping-mice populations fluctuated independent of livestock presence, artificial waterpoint availability or repeated lethal dingo control. Hopping-mice populations appear to be limited first by habitat availability, then by food availability, then by predation. Contemporary top-predator control practices (for protection of livestock) have little influence on hopping-mice behaviour or population dynamics. Given our inability to constrain the effects of predation across broad scales, management actions focusing on increasing available food and habitat (e.g. alteration of fire and herbivory) may have a greater chance of improving the conservation status of hopping-mice and other small mammals in arid areas. Our study also reaffirms the importance of using systematic and experimental approaches to detect true drivers of population distribution and dynamics where multiple potential drivers operate simultaneously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin L Allen
- University of Southern Queensland, Institute for Agriculture and the Environment, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia.
| | - Alana Fawcett
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, Sippy Downs, Queensland 4556, Australia.
| | - Alison Anker
- Robert Wicks Pest Animal Research Centre, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia
| | - Richard M Engeman
- National Wildlife Research Centre, US Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 8051-2154, USA.
| | - Allan Lisle
- University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia.
| | - Luke K-P Leung
- University of Queensland, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia.
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Bruskotter JT, Vucetich JA, Smith DW, Nelson MP, Karns GR, Peterson RO. The role of science in understanding (and saving) large carnivores: A response to Allen and colleagues. FOOD WEBS 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2017.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Large carnivore science: non-experimental studies are useful, but experiments are better. FOOD WEBS 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Opportunities and challenges for the study and conservation of large carnivores. FOOD WEBS 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fooweb.2017.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Filla M, Premier J, Magg N, Dupke C, Khorozyan I, Waltert M, Bufka L, Heurich M. Habitat selection by Eurasian lynx ( Lynx lynx) is primarily driven by avoidance of human activity during day and prey availability during night. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:6367-6381. [PMID: 28861240 PMCID: PMC5574813 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The greatest threat to the protected Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Central Europe is human‐induced mortality. As the availability of lynx prey often peaks in human‐modified areas, lynx have to balance successful prey hunting with the risk of encounters with humans. We hypothesized that lynx minimize this risk by adjusting habitat choices to the phases of the day and over seasons. We predicted that (1) due to avoidance of human‐dominated areas during daytime, lynx range use is higher at nighttime, that (2) prey availability drives lynx habitat selection at night, whereas high cover, terrain inaccessibility, and distance to human infrastructure drive habitat selection during the day, and that (3) habitat selection also differs between seasons, with altitude being a dominant factor in winter. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed telemetry data (GPS, VHF) of 10 lynx in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem (Germany, Czech Republic) between 2005 and 2013 using generalized additive mixed models and considering various predictor variables. Night ranges exceeded day ranges by more than 10%. At night, lynx selected open habitats, such as meadows, which are associated with high ungulate abundance. By contrast, during the day, lynx selected habitats offering dense understorey cover and rugged terrain away from human infrastructure. In summer, land‐cover type greatly shaped lynx habitats, whereas in winter, lynx selected lower altitudes. We concluded that open habitats need to be considered for more realistic habitat models and contribute to future management and conservation (habitat suitability, carrying capacity) of Eurasian lynx in Central Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Filla
- Workgroup on Endangered Species J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Georg-August University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Joseph Premier
- Global Change Ecology University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
| | - Nora Magg
- Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg Freiburg Germany
| | - Claudia Dupke
- Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany
| | - Igor Khorozyan
- Workgroup on Endangered Species J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Georg-August University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Matthias Waltert
- Workgroup on Endangered Species J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology Georg-August University of Göttingen Göttingen Germany
| | - Luděk Bufka
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Czech Republic.,Department of Research and Nature Protection Šumava National Park Administration Kašperské Hory Czech Republic
| | - Marco Heurich
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources University of Freiburg Freiburg Germany.,Department of Conservation and Research Bavarian Forest National Park Grafenau Germany
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Eklund A, López-Bao JV, Tourani M, Chapron G, Frank J. Limited evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce livestock predation by large carnivores. Sci Rep 2017; 7:2097. [PMID: 28522834 PMCID: PMC5437004 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-02323-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2017] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful coexistence between large carnivores and humans is conditional upon effective mitigation of the impact of these species on humans, such as through livestock depredation. It is therefore essential for conservation practitioners, carnivore managing authorities, or livestock owners to know the effectiveness of interventions intended to reduce livestock predation by large carnivores. We reviewed the scientific literature (1990-2016), searching for evidence of the effectiveness of interventions. We found experimental and quasi-experimental studies were rare within the field, and only 21 studies applied a case-control study design (3.7% of reviewed publications). We used a relative risk ratio to evaluate the studied interventions: changing livestock type, keeping livestock in enclosures, guarding or livestock guarding dogs, predator removal, using shock collars on carnivores, sterilizing carnivores, and using visual or auditory deterrents to frighten carnivores. Although there was a general lack of scientific evidence of the effectiveness of any of these interventions, some interventions reduced the risk of depredation whereas other interventions did not result in reduced depredation. We urge managers and stakeholders to move towards an evidence-based large carnivore management practice and researchers to conduct studies of intervention effectiveness with a randomized case-control design combined with systematic reviewing to evaluate the evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Eklund
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden.
| | - José Vicente López-Bao
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO/CSIC/PA), Oviedo University, Gonzalo Gutiérrez Quirós s/n, 33600, Mieres, Spain
| | - Mahdieh Tourani
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, 1432, Ås, Norway
| | - Guillaume Chapron
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Jens Frank
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-730 91, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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Marris E. Controls on dingoes are affecting Australia’s landscape. Nature 2017. [DOI: 10.1038/nature.2017.21962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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