Wolves, Moose, and Tree Rings on Isle Royale

McLaren, Brian; Peterson, Rolf O.

doi:10.1126/science.266.5190.1555

Cited by 397 publications

(286 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Increasing numbers of studies in North America are demonstrating that wolves exert a strong top-down force that extends to the plant community (Mclaren & Peterson 1994;Ripple et al 2001). In the absence of wolves, beaver, white-tailed deer and other ungulates become superabundant and begin to alter the composition of plant communities (Alverson et al 1988;McShea et al 1997;Pedersen & Wallis 2004).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Vegetation dynamics of predator‐free land‐bridge islands

et al. 2006

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Summary 1We tested the 'green world' hypothesis of Hairston, Smith and Slobodkin by monitoring vegetation change on recently created predator-free land-bridge islands in a huge hydroelectric impoundment, Lago Guri, in the State of Bolivar, Venezuela. 2 Our results affirm the green world hypothesis and expose the operation of a strong top-down trophic cascade that negatively impacted nearly every plant species present, implying that community stability is maintained through the action of predators. 3 To test the hypothesis, we monitored vegetation on nine predator-free islands and compared demographic parameters to those observed at control sites supporting complete or nearly complete suites of predators. 4 Herbivore abundance was high on 'small' ( ≥ 0.5, < 2 ha) islands, moderate on 'medium' islands (> 3, < 15 ha) and low on the 'large' landmasses that served for reference. 5 Small sapling densities on small islands were only 37% of controls in 1997 (after 11 years of isolation), and when recensused in 2002, had fallen to 25% of controls. High mortality and, especially, low recruitment contributed to the decline in sapling cohorts. 6 Sapling decline occurred earlier on small islands, although recruitment failure had become equally pronounced on medium islands by the end of the monitoring period. 7 Several mechanisms could potentially account for suppressed sapling recruitment, but the weight of evidence points to herbivory on seedlings and small saplings by leaf-cutter ants ( Atta spp. and Acromyrmex sp.). Exposure to prevailing trade winds (windward vs. leeward slopes of islands) had no detectable effect on the density or diversity of seedlings or saplings.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whether terrestrial ecosystems are capable of displaying trophic cascades has long been debated (Oksanen 1983;Terborgh 1988;Power 1992;Polis & Strong 1996). However, accumulating evidence increasingly underscores the potential of terrestrial systems to undergo trophic cascades (Mclaren & Peterson 1994;Pace et al . 1999;Schmitz et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation dynamics of predator‐free land‐bridge islands

et al. 2006

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“…But, this is only ~0.2 -0.5 % of the additional NPP obtained by managing moose populations. This reinforces the potential value of restoring or managing wolves, which can limit the abundance and distribution of moose and other ungulates, for carbon management (McLaren and Peterson 1994;Ripple and others 2010).…”

Section: Compensatory Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animating the Carbon Cycle

et al. 2013

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Understanding the biogeochemical processes regulating carbon cycling is central to mitigating atmospheric CO 2 emissions. The role of living organisms has been accounted for, but the focus has traditionally been on contributions of plants and microbes. We develop the case that fully "animating" the carbon cycle requires broader consideration of the functional role of animals in mediating biogeochemical processes and quantification of their effects on carbon storage and exchange among terrestrial and aquatic reservoirs and the atmosphere. To encourage more hypothesis-driven experimental research that quantifies animal effects we discuss the mechanisms by which animals may affect carbon exchanges and storage within and among ecosystems and the atmosphere. We illustrate how those mechanisms lead to multiplier effects whose magnitudes may rival those of more traditional carbon storage and exchange rate estimates currently used in the carbon budget. Many animal species are already directly managed. Thus improved quantitative understanding of their influence on carbon budgets may create opportunity for management and policy to identify and implement new options for mitigating CO 2 release at regional scales.

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“…Islands are excellent systems for understanding evolution [19,20] and predator-prey dynamics [21,22]. Island systems may be particularly useful in the context of the ecology and evolution of anti-predator behaviour [23,24], because dynamics of predators and prey can often be known with greater precision than in mainland systems, because islands have relatively discrete system boundaries compared with more open mainland systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An island-wide predator manipulation reveals immediate and long-lasting matching of risk by prey

Orrock

Fletcher

2014

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Anti-predator behaviour affects prey population dynamics, mediates cascading effects in food webs and influences the likelihood of rapid extinctions. Predator manipulations in natural settings provide a rare opportunity to understand how prey anti-predator behaviour is affected by large-scale changes in predators. Here, we couple a long-term, island-wide manipulation of an important rodent predator, the island fox (Urocyon littoralis), with nearly 6 years of measurements on foraging by deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) to provide unequivocal evidence that prey closely match their foraging behaviour to the number of fox predators present on the island. Peromyscus maniculatus foraging among exposed and sheltered microhabitats (a measure of aversion to predation risk) closely tracked fox density, but the nature of this effect depended upon nightly environmental conditions known to affect rodent susceptibility to predators. These effects could not be explained by changes in density of deer mice over time. Our work reveals that prey in natural settings are cognizant of the dynamic nature of their predators over timescales that span many years, and that predator removals spanning many generations of prey do not result in a loss of anti-predator behaviour.

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Wolves, Moose, and Tree Rings on Isle Royale

Cited by 397 publications

References 24 publications

Vegetation dynamics of predator‐free land‐bridge islands

Vegetation dynamics of predator‐free land‐bridge islands

Animating the Carbon Cycle

An island-wide predator manipulation reveals immediate and long-lasting matching of risk by prey

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