Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space
The reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone National Park is the most celebrated ecological experiment in history. As predicted by population models, the rapid recovery of a wolf population caused both temporal and spatial variability in wolf–ungulate interactions that likewise ge...
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American Society of Mammalogists
2018
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 |
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ftbioone:10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 2024-06-02T08:05:01+00:00 Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space Mark S. Boyce Mark S. Boyce world 2018-09-26 text/HTML https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 en eng American Society of Mammalogists doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 All rights reserved. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 Text 2018 ftbioone https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 2024-05-07T00:55:29Z The reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone National Park is the most celebrated ecological experiment in history. As predicted by population models, the rapid recovery of a wolf population caused both temporal and spatial variability in wolf–ungulate interactions that likewise generated temporal and spatial variation in the expression of trophic cascades. This has amplified spatial variation in vegetation in Yellowstone, particularly with willow (Salix spp.) and cottonwood (Populus spp.) in riparian areas, with associated changes in food webs. Increasing influences of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), cougars (Puma concolor), and bison (Bisonbison) are making what initially was predominantly an elk–wolf interaction into an increasingly complex system. Outside Yellowstone, however, humans have a dominant influence in western North America that overwhelms trophic cascades resulting in what appear to be bottom-up influences on community structure and function. Complex and unexpected ecosystem responses to wolf recovery in Yellowstone reinforce the value of national parks and other protected areas as ecological baseline reserves. Text Canis lupus Ursus arctos BioOne Online Journals Journal of Mammalogy 99 5 1021 1031 |
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BioOne Online Journals |
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ftbioone |
language |
English |
description |
The reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone National Park is the most celebrated ecological experiment in history. As predicted by population models, the rapid recovery of a wolf population caused both temporal and spatial variability in wolf–ungulate interactions that likewise generated temporal and spatial variation in the expression of trophic cascades. This has amplified spatial variation in vegetation in Yellowstone, particularly with willow (Salix spp.) and cottonwood (Populus spp.) in riparian areas, with associated changes in food webs. Increasing influences of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), cougars (Puma concolor), and bison (Bisonbison) are making what initially was predominantly an elk–wolf interaction into an increasingly complex system. Outside Yellowstone, however, humans have a dominant influence in western North America that overwhelms trophic cascades resulting in what appear to be bottom-up influences on community structure and function. Complex and unexpected ecosystem responses to wolf recovery in Yellowstone reinforce the value of national parks and other protected areas as ecological baseline reserves. |
author2 |
Mark S. Boyce |
format |
Text |
author |
Mark S. Boyce |
spellingShingle |
Mark S. Boyce Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
author_facet |
Mark S. Boyce |
author_sort |
Mark S. Boyce |
title |
Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
title_short |
Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
title_full |
Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
title_fullStr |
Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
title_full_unstemmed |
Wolves for Yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
title_sort |
wolves for yellowstone: dynamics in time and space |
publisher |
American Society of Mammalogists |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 |
op_coverage |
world |
genre |
Canis lupus Ursus arctos |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus Ursus arctos |
op_source |
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 |
op_relation |
doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 |
op_rights |
All rights reserved. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyy115 |
container_title |
Journal of Mammalogy |
container_volume |
99 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1021 |
op_container_end_page |
1031 |
_version_ |
1800749762228518912 |