Trophic rewilding can expand natural climate solutions

Nature Climate Change, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(4), P. 324 - 333

Published: March 27, 2023

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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After the mammoths: the ecological legacy of late Pleistocene megafauna extinctions

Cambridge Prisms Extinction, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 1

Published: Jan. 1, 2023

The significant extinctions in Earth history have largely been unpredictable terms of what species perish and traits make susceptible. occurring during the late Pleistocene are unusual this regard, because they were strongly size-selective targeted exclusively large-bodied animals (i.e., megafauna, >1 ton) disproportionately, herbivores. Because these also at particular risk today, aftermath can provide insights into how loss or decline contemporary may influence ecosystems. Here, we review ecological consequences on major aspects environment, communities ecosystems, as well diet, distribution behavior surviving mammals. We find megafauna pervasive left legacies detectable all parts system. Furthermore, that roles extinct modern play system not replicated by smaller-bodied animals. Our highlights important perspectives paleoecology for conservation efforts.

Language: Английский

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Meta-analysis reveals that vertebrates enhance plant litter decomposition at the global scale

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(3), P. 411 - 422

Published: Jan. 9, 2024

Language: Английский

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Are hippos Africa's most influential megaherbivore? A review of ecosystem engineering by the semi‐aquatic common hippopotamus

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 98(5), P. 1509 - 1529

Published: April 24, 2023

Megaherbivores perform vital ecosystem engineering roles, and have their last remaining stronghold in Africa. Of Africa's megaherbivores, the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) has received least scientific conservation attention, despite how influential activities appear to be. Given potentially crucial influence of hippos, as well mounting concerns threatening long-term persistence, a review evidence for hippos being engineers, effects engineering, is both timely necessary. In this review, we assess, (i) aspects hippo biology that underlie unique potential; (ii) evaluate ecological impacts terrestrial aquatic environments; (iii) compare other extant African megaherbivores; (iv) factors most critical engineering; (v) highlight future research directions challenges may yield new insights into role megaherbivores more broadly. We find variety key life-history traits determine hippo's influence, including semi-aquatic lifestyle, large body size, specialised gut anatomy, muzzle structure, small partially webbed feet, highly gregarious nature. On land, create grazing lawns contain distinct plant communities alter fire spatial extent, which shapes woody demographics might assist maintaining fire-sensitive riverine vegetation. water, deposit nutrient-rich dung, stimulating food chains altering water chemistry quality, impacting host different organisms. Hippo trampling wallowing alters geomorphological processes, widening riverbanks, creating river channels, forming gullies along well-utilised paths. Taken together, propose these myriad combine make megaherbivore, specifically because high diversity intensity compared with capacity transfer nutrients across boundaries, enriching ecosystems. Nonetheless, pollution extraction agriculture industry, erratic rainfall patterns human-hippo conflict, threaten persistence. Therefore, encourage greater consideration engineers when considering functional importance megafauna ecosystems, increased attention declining habitat populations, if unchecked could change way many ecosystems function.

Language: Английский

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Biodiversität und Landschaft

RaumFragen: Stadt - Region - Landschaft, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1263 - 1271

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Biodiversität und Landschaft sind tiefgreifend miteinander verbunden. Zum einen beeinflusst die Vielfalt der Arten eines Lebensraums Landschaft, da Landschaftselemente wie bspw. Gewässer oder Gehölze je nach Artzusammensetzung, auf unterschiedliche Weise genutzt werden. anderem hat auch selbst Auswirkungen Artenvielfalt in ihr. Hier spielen menschliche Aktivitäten, zur Veränderung von Landschaften führen, eine wichtige Rolle, so Lebensräume verändert werden können. Dabei insbesondere Aktivitäten Abholzung, Verschmutzung, aber Übernutzung Verstädterung bzw. Lebensräumen zu nennen, das Einschleppen gebietsfremder durch den Menschen menschengemachte Klimawandel. Um Artenvielfalt, derzeit rapide abnimmt noch keinem anderen Zeitpunkt Menschheitsgeschichte, schützen, ist daher ein nachhaltiger Umgang mit unausweichlich. Insbesondere, wenn man Dienstleistungen bedenkt, Ökosysteme für bereithalten, wird Vorteil artenreichen Ökosystemen deutlich. In diesem Kapitel dies am Beispiel Vogelarten genauer erläutert, diese beeinflussen, sie vorkommen, dieser Zudem Vogelvielfalt Wohlbefinden Menschen, unter anderem, indem akustische Prägung (Soundscape) einer beeinflussen.

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Shifts in food webs and niche stability shaped survivorship and extinction at the end-Cretaceous

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 8(49)

Published: Dec. 7, 2022

It has long been debated why groups such as non-avian dinosaurs became extinct whereas mammals and other lineages survived the Cretaceous/Paleogene mass extinction 66 million years ago. We used Markov networks, ecological niche partitioning, Earth System models to reconstruct North American food webs simulate ecospace occupancy before after event. find a shift in latest Cretaceous dinosaur faunas, medium-sized species counterbalanced loss of megaherbivores, but niches were otherwise stable static, potentially contributing their demise. Smaller vertebrates, including mammals, followed consistent trajectory increasing trophic impact relaxation limits beginning continuing extinction. Mammals did not simply proliferate event; rather, earlier diversification might have helped them survive.

Language: Английский

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Phylogeny and Systematics of the Extant Rhinoceros

Fascinating life sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 3 - 29

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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What Do Male Elephants Eat When Females Are Not Around?

African Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 63(3)

Published: April 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Sexual variation in elephant feeding niche has been attributed to body size differences, primarily studied areas with spatial overlap between females and males. We African savannah ( Loxodonta africana ) foraging strategies Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana, a population almost entirely composed of male elephants. In this context, we explored the influences age physical condition on strategy recorded data by direct observation different classes conditions. Younger males (10–20 years) exhibited more selective behaviour (i.e., selected smaller branches, browsed for shorter periods consumed fewer mouthfuls per bout) than older Elephants good approach elephants poor condition. Age did not affect height at which they were or plants on. The younger 21–25 focused their preferred species, while oldest that offered high density edible species. All‐male populations provide clearer insights into how adapt individual

Language: Английский

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Asian elephants as ecological filters in Sundaic forests

Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: June 27, 2023

Megaherbivores exert strong top-down influence on the ecosystems they inhabit, yet little is known about foraging impacts of Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ) structure Southeast Asia’s rainforests. Our goal was to document elephants’ dietary composition, selectivity, and in a Sundaic rainforest test whether these differed between habitats. We conducted controlled direct observations five wild-born captive feeding six plant types (bamboo, grass, monocot herbs, palms, lianas, trees) different age 2 two habitats (mature vs. early successional forest) Krau, Peninsular Malaysia. Palms, trees, lianas formed bulk diet. In mature forest, showed preference for monocots (preference ratio, PR = 5.1), particularly large palms (PR 5.4), while trees were negatively selected 0.14). Conversely, habitats, tree saplings positively 1.6). Elephants uprooted (30%) broke main stem dicot mainly saplings, that handled. Tree broken by had an average diameter 1.7 ± 1.1 cm (up 7 cm), with breaks happening at 0.5 m height. estimated that, year, elephant could damage (i.e., either uproot or break) around 39,000 if it fed entirely almost double number (73,000) solely Assuming density 0.05–0.18 elephants/km , 0.2–0.6% sapling population per year. Slow growth rates understory plants forests result negative feedbacks, whereby suppress other monocots, highly preferred species. Alternatively, may initiate positive feedbacks impeding succession along forest edges semi-open environments, thereby increasing size gaps availability their foodplants. Overall, our results show act as ecological filters suppressing prefer

Language: Английский

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