Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals
When large carnivores are extirpated from ecosystems that evolved with apex predators, these systems can change at the herbivore and plant trophic levels. Such changes across trophic levels are called cascading effects and they are very important to conservation. Studies on the effects of reintroduc...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z11-115 2024-09-15T18:01:08+00:00 Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals Miller, Brian J. Harlow, Henry J. Harlow, Tyler S. Biggins, Dean Ripple, William J. 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z11-115 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/z11-115 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z11-115 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 90, issue 1, page 70-78 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 2012 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z11-115 2024-08-01T04:10:03Z When large carnivores are extirpated from ecosystems that evolved with apex predators, these systems can change at the herbivore and plant trophic levels. Such changes across trophic levels are called cascading effects and they are very important to conservation. Studies on the effects of reintroduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park have examined the interaction pathway of wolves ( Canis lupus L., 1758) to ungulates to plants. This study examines the interaction effects of wolves to coyotes to rodents (reversing mesopredator release in the absence of wolves). Coyotes ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) generally avoided areas near a wolf den. However, when in the proximity of a den, they used woody habitats (pine or sage) compared with herbaceous habitats (grass or forb or sedge)– when they were away from the wolf den. Our data suggested a significant increase in rodent numbers, particularly voles (genus Microtus Schrank, 1798), during the 3-year study on plots that were within 3 km of the wolf den, but we did not detect a significant change in rodent numbers over time for more distant plots. Predation by coyotes may have depressed numbers of small mammals in areas away from the wolf den. These factors indicate a top–down effect by wolves on coyotes and subsequently on the rodents of the area. Restoration of wolves could be a powerful tool for regulating predation at lower trophic levels. Article in Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 90 1 70 78 |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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English |
description |
When large carnivores are extirpated from ecosystems that evolved with apex predators, these systems can change at the herbivore and plant trophic levels. Such changes across trophic levels are called cascading effects and they are very important to conservation. Studies on the effects of reintroduced wolves in Yellowstone National Park have examined the interaction pathway of wolves ( Canis lupus L., 1758) to ungulates to plants. This study examines the interaction effects of wolves to coyotes to rodents (reversing mesopredator release in the absence of wolves). Coyotes ( Canis latrans Say, 1823) generally avoided areas near a wolf den. However, when in the proximity of a den, they used woody habitats (pine or sage) compared with herbaceous habitats (grass or forb or sedge)– when they were away from the wolf den. Our data suggested a significant increase in rodent numbers, particularly voles (genus Microtus Schrank, 1798), during the 3-year study on plots that were within 3 km of the wolf den, but we did not detect a significant change in rodent numbers over time for more distant plots. Predation by coyotes may have depressed numbers of small mammals in areas away from the wolf den. These factors indicate a top–down effect by wolves on coyotes and subsequently on the rodents of the area. Restoration of wolves could be a powerful tool for regulating predation at lower trophic levels. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Miller, Brian J. Harlow, Henry J. Harlow, Tyler S. Biggins, Dean Ripple, William J. |
spellingShingle |
Miller, Brian J. Harlow, Henry J. Harlow, Tyler S. Biggins, Dean Ripple, William J. Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals |
author_facet |
Miller, Brian J. Harlow, Henry J. Harlow, Tyler S. Biggins, Dean Ripple, William J. |
author_sort |
Miller, Brian J. |
title |
Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals |
title_short |
Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals |
title_full |
Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals |
title_fullStr |
Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Trophic cascades linking wolves ( Canis lupus), coyotes ( Canis latrans), and small mammals |
title_sort |
trophic cascades linking wolves ( canis lupus), coyotes ( canis latrans), and small mammals |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z11-115 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full-xml/10.1139/z11-115 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z11-115 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 90, issue 1, page 70-78 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z11-115 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
90 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
70 |
op_container_end_page |
78 |
_version_ |
1810438320730144768 |