We need all creatures great and small
New study published in the journal Bioscience concludes that a catastrophic decline around the world of "apex" predators such as wolves, cougars, lions or sharks has led to a huge increase in smaller "mesopredators" that are causing major economic and ecological disruptions.
Artwork by Piper Smith
A new study published in the journal Bioscience has found that the catastrophic decline of the world's apex predators (here in N. America think grizzlies and wolves), has led to the proliferation of mesopredators (e.g. coyotes). These cascading effects are poorly understood but are causing ecosystem disruptions in food webs around the world, often with harsh economic and ecological consequences.
"The economic impacts of mesopredators should be expected to exceed those of apex predators in any scenario in which mesopredators contribute to the same or to new conflict with humans,” the researchers wrote in their report. “Mesopredators occur at higher densities than apex predators and exhibit greater resiliency to control efforts.”
The classic example of this here in the Northwest is wolves. Millions have been spent on eradicating wolves over the last century, and as a result coyote populations have multiplied, creating a new, larger problem for ranchers and farmers. Ironically, restoring wolves to the landscape may be the solution to the coyote problem.
Read the press release from Oregon State University and other findings in the report.
