The Rise of the Mesopredator

Prugh, Laura R.; Stoner, C. J.; Epps, Clinton W.; Bean, William T.; Ripple, William J.; Laliberte, Andrea S.; Brashares, Justin S.

doi:10.1525/bio.2009.59.9.9

Cited by 778 publications

(717 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…In North America alone, 60% of mesopredator species have shown range expansions, likely due to the combined effect of removal of apex predators (i.e., mesopredator release), land use changes, and humanassociated food resources (Prugh et al 2009). Regional populations of generalist and opportunistic mesopredators are likely to continue to swell as landscapes continue to urbanize.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic resource subsidies decouple predator–prey relationships

Rodewald

Kearns

Shustack

2011

Ecological Applications

224

135

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Abstract. The extent to which resource subsidies affect food web dynamics is poorly understood in anthropogenic landscapes. To better understand how species interactions are influenced by subsidies, we studied breeding birds and nest predators along a rural-to-urban landscape gradient that varied in subsidies provided to generalist predators. We hypothesized that resource subsidies in urban landscapes would decouple predator-prey relationships, as predators switch from natural to anthropogenic foods. From 2004 to 2009, we surveyed nest predators and monitored 2942 nests of five songbird species breeding in 19 mature forest stands in Ohio, USA. Eighteen species were video-recorded depredating nests. Numbers of avian and mammalian nest predators were positively associated with the amount of urban development surrounding forests, with the exception of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater). Although nest survival strongly declined with detections of nest predators in rural landscapes, nest survival and predator numbers were unrelated in urban landscapes. Thus, the strength of interaction between breeding birds and nest predators diminished as landscapes surrounding forested parks became more urbanized. Our work suggests that decoupling of predator-prey relationships can arise when synanthropic predators are heavily subsidized by anthropogenic resources. In this way, human drivers can alter, and completely disarticulate, relationships among species that are well established in more natural systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic resource subsidies decouple predator–prey relationships

Rodewald

Kearns

Shustack

2011

Ecological Applications

224

135

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Currently the specific identity of any particular predator is generally unknown; indeed, even the species of predator may be unknown. (Johnson et al 2007;Rayner et al 2007;Prugh et al 2009)? (2) Who is being killed?…”

Section: Measuring What Was Immeasurablementioning

confidence: 99%

Predator-baiting experiments for the conservation of rock-wallabies in Western Australia: a 25-year review with recent advances

Kinnear¹,

Krebs

Pentland

et al. 2010

Wildl. Res.

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Abstract. Predation is widely believed to be the main threatening process for many native vertebrates in Australia. For 25 years, predator-baiting experiments have been used in the Western Australian Central Wheatbelt to control red fox predation on rock-wallabies and other endangered marsupial prey elsewhere. We review here the history of a series of baiting experiments designed to protect rock-wallaby colonies by controlling red foxes with 1080 poison baits. We continue to support the conclusion that red foxes can reduce or exterminate rock-wallaby populations in Western Australia. Research trials from 1990 to 2008 have uniformly shown a dramatic recovery of rock-wallaby populations once red foxes are baited. Baiting experiments are often black boxes and their success should not blind us to their weaknesses. Ideally, what we would like to measure are the functional responses of predators to prey abundance directly. As a contribution towards this goal, we describe new technology that enables one to determine which predator killed which prey, at exactly what time, with improved research and management outcomes.

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“…Declines in apex predator populations can cause irruptions in the abundance and shifts in the behavior of previously suppressed mesopredators (Prugh et al 2009). This trophic 'release' of mesopredators is cause for conservation concern, because when abundant, they can cause extinctions and major shifts in ecosystem function (Crooks and Soulé 1999;Ritchie and Johnson 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity effects of the predation gauntlet

et al. 2017

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The ubiquity of trophic downgrading has led to interest in the consequences of mesopredator release on prey communities and ecosystems. This issue is of particular concern for reef-fish communities, where predation is a key process driving ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Here, we synthesize existing experiments that have isolated the effects of mesopredators to quantify the role of predation in driving changes in the abundance and biodiversity of recently settled reef fishes. On average, predators reduced prey abundance through generalist foraging behavior, which, through a statistical sampling artifact, caused a reduction in alpha diversity and an increase in beta diversity. Thus, the synthesized experiments provide evidence that predation reduces overall abundance within prey communities, but-after accounting for sampling effects-does not cause disproportionate effects on biodiversity.

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The Rise of the Mesopredator

Cited by 778 publications

References 54 publications

Anthropogenic resource subsidies decouple predator–prey relationships

Anthropogenic resource subsidies decouple predator–prey relationships

Predator-baiting experiments for the conservation of rock-wallabies in Western Australia: a 25-year review with recent advances

Biodiversity effects of the predation gauntlet

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