The role of large predators in maintaining riparian plant communities and river morphology

Beschta, Robert L.; Ripple, William J.

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2011.04.042

Cited by 78 publications

(55 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s is perhaps the most widely known example (59). The wolves restored a tritrophic cascade, where direct predation and behavioral impacts on American elk (Cervus elaphus) have increased regeneration of Populus and Salix spp., with indirect effects on other wildlife and geomorphology (60). Controversy exists over the exact role of wolves in these dynamics (59), but similar effects are reported elsewhere in North America (61,62) and Europe (63).…”

Section: Current Scientific Basis For Trophic Rewildingmentioning

confidence: 77%

Science for a wilder Anthropocene: Synthesis and future directions for trophic rewilding research

Svenning

Pedersen

Donlan

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

472

506

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Trophic rewilding is an ecological restoration strategy that uses species introductions to restore top-down trophic interactions and associated trophic cascades to promote self-regulating biodiverse ecosystems. Given the importance of large animals in trophic cascades and their widespread losses and resulting trophic downgrading, it often focuses on restoring functional megafaunas. Trophic rewilding is increasingly being implemented for conservation, but remains controversial. Here, we provide a synthesis of its current scientific basis, highlighting trophic cascades as the key conceptual framework, discussing the main lessons learned from ongoing rewilding projects, systematically reviewing the current literature, and highlighting unintentional rewilding and spontaneous wildlife comebacks as underused sources of information. Together, these lines of evidence show that trophic cascades may be restored via species reintroductions and ecological replacements. It is clear, however, that megafauna effects may be affected by poorly understood trophic complexity effects and interactions with landscape settings, human activities, and other factors. Unfortunately, empirical research on trophic rewilding is still rare, fragmented, and geographically biased, with the literature dominated by essays and opinion pieces. We highlight the need for applied programs to include hypothesis testing and science-based monitoring, and outline priorities for future research, notably assessing the role of trophic complexity, interplay with landscape settings, land use, and climate change, as well as developing the global scope for rewilding and tools to optimize benefits and reduce human-wildlife conflicts. Finally, we recommend developing a decision framework for species selection, building on functional and phylogenetic information and with attention to the potential contribution from synthetic biology.conservation | megafauna | reintroduction | restoration | trophic cascades

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Section: Current Scientific Basis For Trophic Rewildingmentioning

confidence: 77%

Science for a wilder Anthropocene: Synthesis and future directions for trophic rewilding research

Svenning

Pedersen

Donlan

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

472

506

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“…Plant damage following cervid irruptions has also been found in regions with relatively low productivity as well as those with very high productivity (Beschta and Ripple 2009). Changes in forest plant communities, such as a reduction in the abundance of woody browse species after wolf extirpation, can cause accelerated streambank erosion, thus leading to changes to stream morphology and fish habitat (Beschta and Ripple 2011). Loss of large carnivores may have potential implications for climate change by reducing long-term sequestration of carbon due to a lack of recruiting woody plants as well as creating simplified and novel ecosystems that may be less resilient to a changing climate.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Large predators limit herbivore densities in northern forest ecosystems

2012

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“…Predators may enhance scavenger diversity (53) and thereby contribute to nutrient cycling, in addition to myriad other documented cascading and ramifying pathways (15). In riparian systems, large carnivores may reduce stream bank erosion through the growth of woody plants and enhance water quality and flood control through the restoration of beaver that benefit from the restored plants (54)(55)(56)(57). Large carnivores help reduce disease prevalence in ungulate prey populations, thereby mitigating agricultural costs because of spillover effects on domestic livestock (58).…”

Section: Ecosystem and Economic Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Status and Ecological Effects of the World’s Largest Carnivores

Ripple

Estes

Beschta

et al. 2014

Science

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2,791

2,641

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Background:The largest terrestrial species in the order Carnivora are wide-ranging and rare because of their positions at the top of food webs. They are some of the world's most admired mammals and, ironically, some of the most imperiled. Most have experienced substantial population declines and range contractions throughout the world during the past two centuries. Because of the high metabolic demands that come with endothermy and large body size, these carnivores often require large prey and expansive habitats. These food requirements and wide-ranging behavior often bring them into confl ict with humans and livestock. This, in addition to human intolerance, renders them vulnerable to extinction. Large carnivores face enormous threats that have caused massive declines in their populations and geographic ranges, including habitat loss and degradation, persecution, utilization, and depletion of prey. We highlight how these threats can affect the conservation status and ecological roles of this planet's 31 largest carnivores.

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The role of large predators in maintaining riparian plant communities and river morphology

Cited by 78 publications

References 55 publications

Science for a wilder Anthropocene: Synthesis and future directions for trophic rewilding research

Science for a wilder Anthropocene: Synthesis and future directions for trophic rewilding research

Large predators limit herbivore densities in northern forest ecosystems

Status and Ecological Effects of the World’s Largest Carnivores

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