The role of large wild animals in climate change mitigation and adaptation

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 32(4), P. R181 - R196

Published: Feb. 1, 2022

Language: Английский

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Impacts of large herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 33(11), P. R584 - R610

Published: June 1, 2023

Language: Английский

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Herbivory limits success of vegetation restoration globally

Science, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 382(6670), P. 589 - 594

Published: Nov. 2, 2023

Restoring vegetation in degraded ecosystems is an increasingly common practice for promoting biodiversity and ecological function, but successful implementation hampered by incomplete understanding of the processes that limit restoration success. By synthesizing terrestrial aquatic studies globally (2594 experimental tests from 610 articles), we reveal substantial herbivore control under restoration. Herbivores at sites reduced abundance more strongly (by 89%, on average) than those relatively undegraded suppressed, rather fostered, plant diversity. These effects were particularly pronounced regions with higher temperatures lower precipitation. Excluding targeted herbivores temporarily or introducing their predators improved magnitudes similar to greater achieved managing competition facilitation. Thus, herbivory a promising strategy enhancing efforts.

Language: Английский

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Meta-analysis shows that wild large herbivores shape ecosystem properties and promote spatial heterogeneity

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(4), P. 705 - 716

Published: Feb. 9, 2024

Language: Английский

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The Strength of the Yellowstone Trophic Cascade after Wolf Reintroduction

Global Ecology and Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. e03428 - e03428

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Humboldt and the reinvention of nature

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 107(3), P. 1031 - 1037

Published: Nov. 25, 2018

Abstract Alexander von Humboldt is a key figure in the history of ecology and biogeography who contributed to shape what today ecology, as well environmentalist movement. His observation that world’s vegetation varies systematically with climate was one his many contributions science. Here, we question extent Humboldt’s view biased our vision nature. The current emphasis on role soils ecological evolutionary studies, forests potential most important vegetation, suggests still nature through eyes Humboldt. Over last 20 years, diverse studies have shown open non‐forested ecosystems (savannas, grasslands, shrublands) cannot be predicted by are ancient systems maintained fire and/or vertebrate herbivory. Paleoecological phylogenetic these plant consumers at geological time scales. This has major implications for how understand manage ecosystems. Synthesis. We need consciously probe long‐standing idea only factors shaping broad‐scale patterns propose move beyond legacy embracing large mammal herbivory additional explaining evolution world vegetation.

Language: Английский

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Quantifying the impacts of defaunation on natural forest regeneration in a global meta-analysis

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 10(1)

Published: Oct. 14, 2019

Abstract Intact forests provide diverse and irreplaceable ecosystem services that are critical to human well-being, such as carbon storage mitigate climate change. However, the functions underpin these highly dependent on woody vegetation-animal interactions occurring within forests. While vertebrate defaunation is of growing policy concern, effects loss natural forest regeneration have yet be quantified globally. Here we conduct a meta-analysis assess direction magnitude impacts We demonstrate real-world caused by hunting habitat fragmentation leads reduced regeneration, although manipulation experiments contrasting findings. The extirpation primates birds cause greatest declines in emphasising their key role maintaining stores, need for national international change conservation strategies protect from fronts well deforestation fronts.

Language: Английский

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Synthesizing the effects of large, wild herbivore exclusion on ecosystem function

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 33(9), P. 1597 - 1610

Published: May 18, 2019

Abstract Wild large herbivores are declining worldwide. Despite extensive use of exclosure experiments to investigate herbivore impacts, there is little consensus on the effects wild ecosystem function. Of functions likely impacted, we reviewed five most‐studied in experiments: resilience/resistance disturbance, nutrient cycling, carbon plant regeneration, and primary productivity. Experimental data herbivores' were predominately derived from temperate grasslands (50% grasslands, 75% zones). Additionally, that may not be adequate size (median 400 m 2 despite excluding all below 25 ) or duration 6 years) capture ecosystem‐scale responses these low‐density wide‐ranging taxa. removal frequently impacted functions; for example, net uptake increased by three times some instances. However, magnitude direction effects, even within a single function, highly variable. A focus cycling highlighted challenges interpreting While effect exclusion was slightly positive when its components (e.g. pools vs. fluxes carbon) aggregated, individual variable sometimes opposed. Given modern declines herbivores, it critical understand their this synthesis highlights strong variability direction, magnitude, modifiers effects. Some variation due disparity what used describe given For cycle identified eight distinctly meaningful components, which easily combined yet potentially misrepresentative larger considered alone. much observed difference reflects real ecological across complex systems. To move towards general predictive framework must identify where methodological differences context. Two steps forward (a) additional quantitative synthetic analyses functions, (b) improved, systematic research focusing functions. free Plain Language Summary can found Supporting Information article.

Language: Английский

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When do Janzen–Connell effects matter? A phylogenetic meta‐analysis of conspecific negative distance and density dependence experiments

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 24(3), P. 608 - 620

Published: Dec. 31, 2020

Abstract The Janzen–Connell (J‐C) hypothesis suggests that specialised natural enemies cause distance‐ or density‐dependent mortality among host plants and is regarded as an important mechanism for species coexistence. However, there remains debate about whether this phenomenon widespread how variation structured across taxa life stages. We performed the largest meta‐analysis of experimental studies conducted under settings to date. found little evidence distance‐dependent when grouping all types manipulations. Our analysis also reveals very large in response species, with 38.5% even showing positive responses we a strong signal seedlings but not seed experiments, which attribute (a) sharing susceptible tissues adults (leaves, wood, roots), (b) seedling having worse dispersal than (c) fewer physical chemical defences seeds. Both density‐ showed within genera families, suggesting J‐C effects are strongly phylogenetically conserved. There were no clear trends latitude, rainfall study duration. conclude may be pervasive widely thought. Understanding provides opportunities new discoveries will refine our understanding its role

Language: Английский

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The past, present, and future of herbivore impacts on savanna vegetation

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 109(8), P. 2804 - 2822

Published: May 10, 2021

Abstract Herbivory is a key process structuring vegetation in savannas, especially Africa where large mammal herbivore communities remain intact. Exclusion experiments consistently show that herbivores impact savanna vegetation, but effect size variation has resisted explanation, limiting our understanding of the past, present and future roles herbivory ecosystems. Synthesis responses to exclusion shows decreased grass abundance by 57.0% tree 30.6% across African savannas. The magnitude effects scaled with abundance: more grazing resulted larger browsing responses. However, existing are concentrated semi‐arid savannas (400–800‐mm rainfall) soils data mostly lacking, which makes disentangling environmental constraints challenge priority for research. Observed impacts were ~2.1× than estimates modelled based on consumption. Wildlife metabolic rates may be higher usually used estimating consumption, offers one clear avenue reconciling estimated consumption observed impacts. Plant‐soil feedbacks, plant community composition, phenological or demographic timing also influence productivity, thereby magnifying Because so closely predicts impact, changes through time likely predictive past their Grazer diversity declined from its peak 1 million years ago wild grazer historically, suggesting had it does today. Current wildlife dominated small‐bodied mixed feeders, will continue into future, top‐down control depend changing climate, fire atmospheric CO 2 . Herbivore biomass determines sizes direct observation outstrip Findings suggest substantial ecosystem allow us generate evidence‐based hypotheses vegetation.

Language: Английский

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