Should Ecosystem Management Involve Active Control of Species Abundances?

• Published in: Ecology and Society
• Main Authors: Robert B. Lessard, Steven J. D. Martell, Carl J. Walters, Timothy E. Essington, James F. Kitchell
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Resilience Alliance 2005
• Subjects: ecosystem management; predator control; trophic interactions; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Ecology; QH540-549.5; Hake; Alces alces; Canis lupus; Phoca vitulina; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-01313-100201; https://doaj.org/article/9852f76f3b5947d89b9dbfe3db018668

We review four case studies in which there is a risk of extinction or severe reduction in highly valued species if we ignore either, or both, of two ecosystem control options. "Symptomatic control" implies direct control of extinction risk through direct harvesting or culling of competitor...