Abstract
Changes in the relative abundance of sympatric carnivores can have far-reaching ecological consequences, including the precipitation of trophic cascades and species declines. While such observations are compelling, experimental evaluations of interactions among carnivores remain scarce and are both logistically and ethically challenging. Carnivores are nonetheless a particular focus of management practices owing to their roles as predators of livestock and as vectors and reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. Here, we provide evidence from a replicated and controlled experiment that culling Eurasian badgers Meles meles for disease control was associated with increases in red fox 2 Vulpes vulpes densities of 1.6-2.3 foxes km(-2). This unique experiment demonstrates the importance of intraguild relations in determining species abundance and of assessing the wider consequences of intervention in predator populations.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 170-172 |
| Number of pages | 3 |
| Journal | Biology Letters |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Early online date | 18 Dec 2007 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 23 Apr 2008 |
Keywords
- badger
- culling
- ecological processes
- mesopredator release
- predator removal
- tuberculosis
- foxes vulpes-vulpes
- red foxes
- predation
- Australia
- Britain
- prey
Cite this
Experimental evidence of competitive release in sympatric carnivores. / Trewby, Lain D.; Wilson, Gavin J.; Delahay, Richard J.; Walker, Neil; Young, Richard; Davison, John; Cheeseman, Chris; Robertson, Pete A.; Gorman, Martyn Lee; McDonald, Robbie A.
In: Biology Letters, Vol. 4, No. 2, 23.04.2008, p. 170-172.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Experimental evidence of competitive release in sympatric carnivores
AU - Trewby, Lain D.
AU - Wilson, Gavin J.
AU - Delahay, Richard J.
AU - Walker, Neil
AU - Young, Richard
AU - Davison, John
AU - Cheeseman, Chris
AU - Robertson, Pete A.
AU - Gorman, Martyn Lee
AU - McDonald, Robbie A.
PY - 2008/4/23
Y1 - 2008/4/23
N2 - Changes in the relative abundance of sympatric carnivores can have far-reaching ecological consequences, including the precipitation of trophic cascades and species declines. While such observations are compelling, experimental evaluations of interactions among carnivores remain scarce and are both logistically and ethically challenging. Carnivores are nonetheless a particular focus of management practices owing to their roles as predators of livestock and as vectors and reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. Here, we provide evidence from a replicated and controlled experiment that culling Eurasian badgers Meles meles for disease control was associated with increases in red fox 2 Vulpes vulpes densities of 1.6-2.3 foxes km(-2). This unique experiment demonstrates the importance of intraguild relations in determining species abundance and of assessing the wider consequences of intervention in predator populations.
AB - Changes in the relative abundance of sympatric carnivores can have far-reaching ecological consequences, including the precipitation of trophic cascades and species declines. While such observations are compelling, experimental evaluations of interactions among carnivores remain scarce and are both logistically and ethically challenging. Carnivores are nonetheless a particular focus of management practices owing to their roles as predators of livestock and as vectors and reservoirs of zoonotic diseases. Here, we provide evidence from a replicated and controlled experiment that culling Eurasian badgers Meles meles for disease control was associated with increases in red fox 2 Vulpes vulpes densities of 1.6-2.3 foxes km(-2). This unique experiment demonstrates the importance of intraguild relations in determining species abundance and of assessing the wider consequences of intervention in predator populations.
KW - badger
KW - culling
KW - ecological processes
KW - mesopredator release
KW - predator removal
KW - tuberculosis
KW - foxes vulpes-vulpes
KW - red foxes
KW - predation
KW - Australia
KW - Britain
KW - prey
U2 - 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0516
DO - 10.1098/rsbl.2007.0516
M3 - Article
VL - 4
SP - 170
EP - 172
JO - Biology Letters
JF - Biology Letters
SN - 1744-9561
IS - 2
ER -