Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study
Top-order predators often have positive effects on biological diversity owing to their key functional roles in regulating trophic cascades and other ecological processes. Their loss has been identified as a major factor contributing to the decline of biodiversity in both aquatic and terrestrial syst...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
2012
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30040510 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Top_predators_as_biodiversity_regulators_the_dingo_Canis_lupus_dingo_as_a_case_study/20999389 |
id |
ftdeakinunifig:oai:figshare.com:article/20999389 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdeakinunifig:oai:figshare.com:article/20999389 2023-05-15T15:49:40+02:00 Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study M Letnic Euan Ritchie C Dickman 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30040510 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Top_predators_as_biodiversity_regulators_the_dingo_Canis_lupus_dingo_as_a_case_study/20999389 unknown http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30040510 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Top_predators_as_biodiversity_regulators_the_dingo_Canis_lupus_dingo_as_a_case_study/20999389 All Rights Reserved Uncategorized biodiversity conservation dingo canis lupus dingo intra-guild predation trophic cascade mesopredator top predator red fox vulpes vulpes competition Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics AUSTRALIAN ARID ZONE NEW-SOUTH-WALES FLUCTUATING PREY POPULATIONS NORTH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOXES VULPES-VULPES MESOPREDATOR RELEASE INTRODUCED PREDATORS TANAMI-DESERT TROPHIC REGULATOR FAMILIARIS-DINGO Text Journal contribution 2012 ftdeakinunifig 2022-11-17T22:18:35Z Top-order predators often have positive effects on biological diversity owing to their key functional roles in regulating trophic cascades and other ecological processes. Their loss has been identified as a major factor contributing to the decline of biodiversity in both aquatic and terrestrial systems. Consequently, restoring and maintaining the ecological function of top predators is a critical global imperative. Here we review studies of the ecological effects of the dingo Canis lupus dingo, Australia's largest land predator, using this as a case study to explore the influence of a top predator on biodiversity at a continental scale. The dingo was introduced to Australia by people at least 3500 years ago and has an ambiguous status owing to its brief history on the continent, its adverse impacts on livestock production and its role as an ecosystem architect. A large body of research now indicates that dingoes regulate ecological cascades, particularly in arid Australia, and that the removal of dingoes results in an increase in the abundances and impacts of herbivores and invasive mesopredators, most notably the red fox Vulpes vulpes. The loss of dingoes has been linked to widespread losses of small and medium-sized native mammals, the depletion of plant biomass due to the effects of irrupting herbivore populations and increased predation rates by red foxes. We outline a suite of conceptual models to describe the effects of dingoes on vertebrate populations across different Australian environments. Finally, we discuss key issues that require consideration or warrant research before the ecological effects of dingoes can be incorporated formally into biodiversity conservation programs. Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper Canis lupus DRO - Deakin Research Online |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
DRO - Deakin Research Online |
op_collection_id |
ftdeakinunifig |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Uncategorized biodiversity conservation dingo canis lupus dingo intra-guild predation trophic cascade mesopredator top predator red fox vulpes vulpes competition Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics AUSTRALIAN ARID ZONE NEW-SOUTH-WALES FLUCTUATING PREY POPULATIONS NORTH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOXES VULPES-VULPES MESOPREDATOR RELEASE INTRODUCED PREDATORS TANAMI-DESERT TROPHIC REGULATOR FAMILIARIS-DINGO |
spellingShingle |
Uncategorized biodiversity conservation dingo canis lupus dingo intra-guild predation trophic cascade mesopredator top predator red fox vulpes vulpes competition Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics AUSTRALIAN ARID ZONE NEW-SOUTH-WALES FLUCTUATING PREY POPULATIONS NORTH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOXES VULPES-VULPES MESOPREDATOR RELEASE INTRODUCED PREDATORS TANAMI-DESERT TROPHIC REGULATOR FAMILIARIS-DINGO M Letnic Euan Ritchie C Dickman Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study |
topic_facet |
Uncategorized biodiversity conservation dingo canis lupus dingo intra-guild predation trophic cascade mesopredator top predator red fox vulpes vulpes competition Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Biology Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics AUSTRALIAN ARID ZONE NEW-SOUTH-WALES FLUCTUATING PREY POPULATIONS NORTH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA FOXES VULPES-VULPES MESOPREDATOR RELEASE INTRODUCED PREDATORS TANAMI-DESERT TROPHIC REGULATOR FAMILIARIS-DINGO |
description |
Top-order predators often have positive effects on biological diversity owing to their key functional roles in regulating trophic cascades and other ecological processes. Their loss has been identified as a major factor contributing to the decline of biodiversity in both aquatic and terrestrial systems. Consequently, restoring and maintaining the ecological function of top predators is a critical global imperative. Here we review studies of the ecological effects of the dingo Canis lupus dingo, Australia's largest land predator, using this as a case study to explore the influence of a top predator on biodiversity at a continental scale. The dingo was introduced to Australia by people at least 3500 years ago and has an ambiguous status owing to its brief history on the continent, its adverse impacts on livestock production and its role as an ecosystem architect. A large body of research now indicates that dingoes regulate ecological cascades, particularly in arid Australia, and that the removal of dingoes results in an increase in the abundances and impacts of herbivores and invasive mesopredators, most notably the red fox Vulpes vulpes. The loss of dingoes has been linked to widespread losses of small and medium-sized native mammals, the depletion of plant biomass due to the effects of irrupting herbivore populations and increased predation rates by red foxes. We outline a suite of conceptual models to describe the effects of dingoes on vertebrate populations across different Australian environments. Finally, we discuss key issues that require consideration or warrant research before the ecological effects of dingoes can be incorporated formally into biodiversity conservation programs. |
format |
Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper |
author |
M Letnic Euan Ritchie C Dickman |
author_facet |
M Letnic Euan Ritchie C Dickman |
author_sort |
M Letnic |
title |
Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study |
title_short |
Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study |
title_full |
Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study |
title_fullStr |
Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo Canis lupus dingo as a case study |
title_sort |
top predators as biodiversity regulators : the dingo canis lupus dingo as a case study |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30040510 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Top_predators_as_biodiversity_regulators_the_dingo_Canis_lupus_dingo_as_a_case_study/20999389 |
genre |
Canis lupus |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus |
op_relation |
http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30040510 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Top_predators_as_biodiversity_regulators_the_dingo_Canis_lupus_dingo_as_a_case_study/20999389 |
op_rights |
All Rights Reserved |
_version_ |
1766384706997190656 |