Ecology of Fear: Acclimation and Adaptations to Hunting by Humans

Abstract

Humans greatly influence the ecosystems they live in and the lives of a wide range of taxa they share space with. Specifically, human hunting and harvesting has resulted in many species acclimating via diverse behavioral responses, often quite rapidly. This review provides insights into how hunting and harvesting can elicit behavioral changes. These responses emerge from a species’ previous and evolving ability to assess risk imposed by hunters and respond accordingly; a predator–prey game thus ensues, where both players may change tactics over time. If hunting is persistent, and does not result in the taxa’s extirpation, species are expected to develop adaptations to cope with hunting via natural selection by undergoing shifts in morphology and behavior. This review summarizes the various ways that human hunting intentionally and incidentally alters such evolutionary changes. These changes in turn can influence other species interactions and whole ecosystems. Additionally, alterations in behaviors can provide useful indicators for conservation and evolutionarily enlightened management strategies, and humans should use them to gain insights into our own socio-economic circumstances.