Functional traits—not nativeness—shape the effects of large mammalian herbivores on plant communities

Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 383(6682), P. 531 - 537

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Large mammalian herbivores (megafauna) have experienced extinctions and declines since prehistory. Introduced megafauna partly counteracted these losses yet are thought to unusually negative effects on plants compared with native megafauna. Using a meta-analysis of 3995 plot-scale plant abundance diversity responses from 221 studies, we found no evidence that impacts were shaped by nativeness, "invasiveness," "feralness," coevolutionary history, or functional phylogenetic novelty. Nor was there introduced facilitate more than Instead, strong traits impacts, larger-bodied bulk-feeding promoting diversity. Our work suggests trait-based ecology provides better insight into interactions between do concepts nativeness.

Language: Английский

---

The late-Quaternary megafauna extinctions: Patterns, causes, ecological consequences and implications for ecosystem management in the Anthropocene

Cambridge Prisms Extinction, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 2

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Across the last ~50,000 years (the late Quaternary) terrestrial vertebrate faunas have experienced severe losses of large species (megafauna), with most extinctions occurring in Late Pleistocene and Early to Middle Holocene. Debate on causes has been ongoing for over 200 years, intensifying from 1960s onward. Here, we outline criteria that any causal hypothesis needs account for. Importantly, this extinction event is unique relative other Cenozoic 66 million years) its strong size bias. For example, only 11 out 57 megaherbivores (body mass ≥1,000 kg) survived present. In addition mammalian megafauna, certain groups also substantial extinctions, mainly non-mammalian vertebrates smaller but megafauna-associated taxa. Further, severity dates varied among continents, severely affected all biomes, Arctic tropics. We synthesise evidence against climatic or modern human (Homo sapiens) causation, existing tenable hypotheses. Our review shows there little support major influence climate, neither global patterns nor fine-scale spatiotemporal mechanistic evidence. Conversely, increasing pressures as key driver these emerging an initial onset linked pre-sapiens hominins prior Pleistocene. Subsequently, synthesize ecosystem consequences megafauna discuss implications conservation restoration. A broad range indicates elicited profound changes structure functioning. The late-Quaternary thereby represent early, large-scale human-driven environmental transformation, constituting a progenitor Anthropocene, where humans are now player planetary Finally, conclude restoration via trophic rewilding can be expected positive effects biodiversity across Anthropocene settings.

Language: Английский

---

Trophic rewilding as a restoration approach under emerging novel biosphere conditions

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34(9), P. R435 - R451

Published: May 1, 2024

Language: Английский

---

Shifting baselines and the forgotten giants: integrating megafauna into plant community ecology

Oikos, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

The extensive, prehistoric loss of megafauna during the last 50 000 years led early naturalists to build founding theories ecology based on already‐degraded ecosystems. In this article, we outline how large herbivores affect community ecology, with a special focus plants, through changes selection, speciation, drift, and dispersal, thereby directly impacting ecosystem diversity functionality. However, attempts quantify effects processes are markedly scarce in past contemporary studies. We expect is due shifting baseline syndrome, where ecologists omit now‐missing extinct, when designing experiments theoretical models, despite evidence that shaped physical structure, biogeochemistry, species richness studied systems. Here, can be incorporated into central models integrate megaherbivore theory ecology. As anthropogenic impacts climate nutrient levels continue, further warping ecological disconnecting distributions from optimal conditions, importance quantifying herbivore functionality, such as facilitation dispersal coexistence, increases. Our findings indicate current scientific attention disproportionate their habitat structure evolutionary trajectories, well role play restoring diverse resilient

Language: Английский

---

Beyond the closed-forest paradigm: Cross-scale vegetation structure in temperate Europe before the late-Quaternary megafauna extinctions

Earth history and biodiversity., Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 100022 - 100022

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

---

Integrating functional traits into trophic rewilding science

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 112(5), P. 936 - 953

Published: April 6, 2024

Abstract Trophic rewilding is gaining rapid momentum as a means of restoration across the world. Advances in research are elucidating wide‐ranging effects trophic and megafauna re‐establishment on ecosystem properties processes including resilience, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, productivity plant richness. A substantial gap remains how affects frequency expression functional traits, key hypothesised avenue by which can affect biodiversity processes. Yet, there extensive literature examining mammal herbivory exclusion traits from we may infer potential reintroductions. Here, synthesise to show multifaceted ways that composition responds mammalian explore these responses modulated density identity herbivores well resource availability, historical contingency. We further interactions quantitative analysis European species. In addition, link broad patterns between invasions predict be able reduce invasive dominance, ecosystems around world transitioning towards novel states, occupied mix native introduced Expanding current herbivore (and their implications for rewilding) beyond species richness measurable help assess quantify were not previously possible. Trait approaches test mechanistic hypotheses top‐down impacts large communities reveal links properties. Synthesis . Given rapid, much‐needed expansion activities world, trait‐based ecology offers pathway generalisable predictions rewilding, particularly context both unique landscape associated with (e.g. scale spatiotemporal variability, dispersal) widely emerging ecosystems.

Language: Английский

---

Replacing native grazers with livestock influences arthropods to have implications for ecosystem functions and disease

Ecological Applications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 35(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Abstract Grazing by large mammalian herbivores influences ecosystem structure and functions through its impacts on vegetation soil, as well the influence other animals such arthropods. As livestock progressively replace native grazers around world, it is pertinent to ask whether they have comparable over arthropods, or not. We use a replicated landscape‐level, long‐term grazer‐exclusion experiment (14 years) address how ground‐dwelling arthropods respond change in grazing regime where cold deserts of Trans‐Himalayan northern India. analyze spatial temporal variation abundance 25,604 sampled using pitfall traps across 2765 trap‐days duration growing season spanning spring, summer, autumn. These were from 88 operational taxonomic units covering six orders 33 families (ants, wasps, bees, ticks mites, spiders, grasshoppers, beetles). find that grazer assemblage—whether herbivores—had strong both Partial redundancy analysis (RDA) showed 53.6% arthropod communities could be explained assemblage identity, alongside covariation with composition soil variables. Structural equation models revealed identity direct effects indirect are mediated vegetation. Importantly, spiders (predators) less abundant under livestock, whereas grasshoppers (leaf eaters) mites (parasitic disease vectors) more abundant, compared grazers. Reduction can fundamentally alter material energy flow cascading losing predators, an may even contribute degradation often associated livestock. Parallelly, increases lead concerns vector‐borne require planned interventions align animal husbandry One Health. Thus, expansion wide‐ranging repercussions via This not only affect functions, but also offer challenges opportunities mitigate risks disease.

Language: Английский

---

Temperate forest plants are associated with heterogeneous semi-open canopy conditions shaped by large herbivores

Nature Plants, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 14, 2025

Language: Английский

---

Grazing herbivores reduce herbaceous biomass and fire activity across African savannas

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 27(6)

Published: June 1, 2024

Fire and herbivory interact to alter ecosystems carbon cycling. In savannas, herbivores can reduce fire activity by removing grass biomass, but the size of these effects what regulates them remain uncertain. To examine grazing on fuels regimes across African we combined data from herbivore exclosure experiments with remotely sensed density. We show that, broadly substantially both herbaceous biomass activity. The was strongly associated densities, surprisingly, mostly consistent different environments. A one-zebra increase in density (~100 kg/km2 metabolic biomass) resulted a ~53 kg/ha reduction standing ~0.43 percentage point burned area. Our results indicate that models be improved incorporating biomass.

Language: Английский

---

Preventing extinction in an age of species migration and planetary change

Conservation Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 38(6)

Published: April 17, 2024

Abstract International and national conservation policies almost exclusively focus on conserving species in their historic native ranges, thus excluding that have been introduced by people some of those extended ranges own accord. Given many such migrants are threatened goals explicitly exclude these populations may overlook opportunities to prevent extinctions respond dynamically rapidly changing environmental climatic conditions. Focusing terrestrial mammals, we quantified the number mammals established new through assisted migration (i.e., introduction). We devised 4 alternative scenarios for inclusion assisted‐migrant mainstream policy with aim preventing global extinctions. then used spatial prioritization algorithms simulate how could change priorities. found 22% (70 out 265) all identified were mirroring 25% threatened. Reassessing threat statuses combining migrant reduced status 23 (∼33% migrants). Thus, including assessments provides a more accurate assessment actual extinction risk among species. Spatial simulations showed reimagining role increase importance overlooked landscapes, particularly central Australia, Europe, southwestern United States. Our results indicated various nonexhaustive ways consider populations, due consideration potential conflicts resident taxa, provide unprecedented

Language: Английский

---