Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity
Like most ecological communities, aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are influenced by a synergy of bottom-up (resources-driven) and top-down (predator-driven) processes. Since the 1920s, ecologists have observed the decline of many aspen communities throughout the Intermountain West. The extent an...
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ftutahsudc:oai:digitalcommons.usu.edu:aspen_bib-8261 2024-01-07T09:42:36+01:00 Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity Eisenberg, Cristina Seager, S. Trent Hibbs, David E. 2013-01-01T08:00:00Z https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/7250 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 unknown Hosted by Utah State University Libraries https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/7250 doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact the Institutional Repository Librarian at digitalcommons@usu.edu. Aspen Bibliography Agriculture Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Forest Sciences Genetics and Genomics Plant Sciences text 2013 ftutahsudc https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 2023-12-14T18:42:10Z Like most ecological communities, aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are influenced by a synergy of bottom-up (resources-driven) and top-down (predator-driven) processes. Since the 1920s, ecologists have observed the decline of many aspen communities throughout the Intermountain West. The extent and possible drivers of this decline are topics of much recent scientific study. In addition to bottom-up effects, which include drought, fire suppression, and disease, ungulate herbivory is a contributing factor. Trophic cascades are ecological relationships in which an apex predator produces strong top-down, direct effects on its prey and indirect changes in faunal and floral communities at lower trophic levels. Apex predators, such as the gray wolf (Canis lupus), have been linked to aspen vigor and recruitment, via trophic cascades mechanisms. Scientists have hypothesized that returning wolves to the landscape enables aspen to recruit into the forest overstory, via the density-mediated and behaviorally-mediated effects of wolves on their ungulate prey, primarily elk (Cervus elaphus). We present a synthesis of scientific findings on this topic, identify trends in the ecological impacts of wolves in aspen communities in a variety of ecosystems, and suggest areas for further investigation. Knowledge gaps include the interaction of top-down (e.g., predators) and bottom-up (e.g., drought, fire, hydrology, logging) effects, and how the ecological context of the interaction affects the outcome. Future horizons involve exploring these food web relationships as a complex of inter-level interactions in a more integrated, empirical manner. We suggest adopting a new standard for the aspen/wolf ecology literature by shifting its emphasis and lexicon from trophic cascades to food web studies. Such an integrated approach can help managers create more resilient aspen communities. Text Canis lupus gray wolf Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU Forest Ecology and Management 299 70 80 |
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Open Polar |
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Utah State University: DigitalCommons@USU |
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ftutahsudc |
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unknown |
topic |
Agriculture Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Forest Sciences Genetics and Genomics Plant Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Agriculture Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Forest Sciences Genetics and Genomics Plant Sciences Eisenberg, Cristina Seager, S. Trent Hibbs, David E. Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity |
topic_facet |
Agriculture Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Forest Sciences Genetics and Genomics Plant Sciences |
description |
Like most ecological communities, aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are influenced by a synergy of bottom-up (resources-driven) and top-down (predator-driven) processes. Since the 1920s, ecologists have observed the decline of many aspen communities throughout the Intermountain West. The extent and possible drivers of this decline are topics of much recent scientific study. In addition to bottom-up effects, which include drought, fire suppression, and disease, ungulate herbivory is a contributing factor. Trophic cascades are ecological relationships in which an apex predator produces strong top-down, direct effects on its prey and indirect changes in faunal and floral communities at lower trophic levels. Apex predators, such as the gray wolf (Canis lupus), have been linked to aspen vigor and recruitment, via trophic cascades mechanisms. Scientists have hypothesized that returning wolves to the landscape enables aspen to recruit into the forest overstory, via the density-mediated and behaviorally-mediated effects of wolves on their ungulate prey, primarily elk (Cervus elaphus). We present a synthesis of scientific findings on this topic, identify trends in the ecological impacts of wolves in aspen communities in a variety of ecosystems, and suggest areas for further investigation. Knowledge gaps include the interaction of top-down (e.g., predators) and bottom-up (e.g., drought, fire, hydrology, logging) effects, and how the ecological context of the interaction affects the outcome. Future horizons involve exploring these food web relationships as a complex of inter-level interactions in a more integrated, empirical manner. We suggest adopting a new standard for the aspen/wolf ecology literature by shifting its emphasis and lexicon from trophic cascades to food web studies. Such an integrated approach can help managers create more resilient aspen communities. |
format |
Text |
author |
Eisenberg, Cristina Seager, S. Trent Hibbs, David E. |
author_facet |
Eisenberg, Cristina Seager, S. Trent Hibbs, David E. |
author_sort |
Eisenberg, Cristina |
title |
Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity |
title_short |
Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity |
title_full |
Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity |
title_fullStr |
Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity |
title_full_unstemmed |
Wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: Context and complexity |
title_sort |
wolf, elk, and aspen food web relationships: context and complexity |
publisher |
Hosted by Utah State University Libraries |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/7250 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 |
genre |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
genre_facet |
Canis lupus gray wolf |
op_source |
Aspen Bibliography |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/aspen_bib/7250 doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 |
op_rights |
Copyright for this work is held by the author. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information contact the Institutional Repository Librarian at digitalcommons@usu.edu. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2013.01.014 |
container_title |
Forest Ecology and Management |
container_volume |
299 |
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70 |
op_container_end_page |
80 |
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1787423642212106240 |