The tangled web we weave: how humans influence predator-prey dynamics

Large carnivores like gray wolves (Canis lupus) play key roles in regulating ecosystem structure and function. After being functionally extirpated from the United States by the early 1900s, wolves have recently recolonized portions of their historic ranges and are increasingly coming into contact with a rapidly-growing human population. When carnivores encounter humans, the way they behave, and therefore the way they shape ecosystems, is likely to change. Unfortunately, our ability to predict how wolves will affect ecosystems in human-dominated areas is limited by an incomplete understanding of how and why carnivores respond to human influence. We are therefore investigating wolf kill sites across Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where we can disentangle the effects of multiple simultaneous human influences. Specifically, we are evaluating whether and how spatiotemporal patterns of wolf predation may change in response to unnatural physical infrastructure, disturbance from general human activity, potential threat of mortality, and human-altered prey distributions. Our ongoing field study will help managers anticipate effects of wolf predation in and around human-influenced areas while contributing novel information to theories of predation risk and predator-prey interactions. Featured photo by YNP on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/HGfKqs

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Development of ecosystem structure and function on reforested surface-mined lands in the Central Appalachian Coal Basin of the United States

New Forests ◽

10.1007/s11056-015-9502-8 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (5-6) ◽

pp. 683-702 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Bethany N. Avera ◽

Brian D. Strahm ◽

James A. Burger ◽

Carl E. Zipper

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

The United States ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Coal Basin ◽

And Function ◽

Ecosystem Structure And Function

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The effects of modern war and military activities on biodiversity and the environment

Environmental Reviews ◽

10.1139/er-2015-0039 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 443-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Michael J. Lawrence ◽

Holly L.J. Stemberger ◽

Aaron J. Zolderdo ◽

Daniel P. Struthers ◽

Steven J. Cooke

Keyword(s):

Military Training ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Aquatic Systems ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Population Declines ◽

Exclusion Zone ◽

Negative Effects ◽

And Function ◽

Ecosystem Structure And Function ◽

Modern War

War is an ever-present force that has the potential to alter the biosphere. Here we review the potential consequences of modern war and military activities on ecosystem structure and function. We focus on the effects of direct conflict, nuclear weapons, military training, and military produced contaminants. Overall, the aforementioned activities were found to have overwhelmingly negative effects on ecosystem structure and function. Dramatic habitat alteration, environmental pollution, and disturbance contributed to population declines and biodiversity losses arising from both acute and chronic effects in both terrestrial and aquatic systems. In some instances, even in the face of massive alterations to ecosystem structure, recovery was possible. Interestingly, military activity was beneficial under specific conditions, such as when an exclusion zone was generated that generally resulted in population increases and (or) population recovery; an observation noted in both terrestrial and aquatic systems. Additionally, military technological advances (e.g., GPS technology, drone technology, biotelemetry) have provided conservation scientists with novel tools for research. Because of the challenges associated with conducting research in areas with military activities (e.g., restricted access, hazardous conditions), information pertaining to military impacts on the environment are relatively scarce and are often studied years after military activities have ceased and with no knowledge of baseline conditions. Additional research would help to elucidate the environmental consequences (positive and negative) and thus reveal opportunities for mitigating negative effects while informing the development of optimal strategies for rehabilitation and recovery.

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Agricultural Conservation Practices and Aquatic Ecological Responses

Water ◽

10.3390/w13121687 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 1687

Author(s):

Richard E. Lizotte ◽

Peter C. Smiley ◽

Robert B. Gillespie ◽

Scott S. Knight

Keyword(s):

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Harmful Algal Blooms ◽

Algal Blooms ◽

Soil Health ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Agricultural Runoff ◽

The United States ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Ecological Responses ◽

And Function

Conservation agriculture practices (CAs) have been internationally promoted and used for decades to enhance soil health and mitigate soil loss. An additional benefit of CAs has been mitigation of agricultural runoff impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Countries across the globe have agricultural agencies that provide programs for farmers to implement a variety of CAs. Increasingly there is a need to demonstrate that CAs can provide ecological improvements in aquatic ecosystems. Growing global concerns of lost habitat, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, increased eutrophication and associated harmful algal blooms are expected to intensify with increasing global populations and changing climate. We conducted a literature review identifying 88 studies linking CAs to aquatic ecological responses since 2000. Most studies were conducted in North America (78%), primarily the United States (73%), within the framework of the USDA Conservation Effects Assessment Project. Identified studies most frequently documented macroinvertebrate (31%), fish (28%), and algal (20%) responses to riparian (29%), wetland (18%), or combinations (32%) of CAs and/or responses to eutrophication (27%) and pesticide contamination (23%). Notable research gaps include better understanding of biogeochemistry with CAs, quantitative links between varying CAs and ecological responses, and linkages of CAs with aquatic ecosystem structure and function.

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Environmental ecology: The impacts of pollution and other stresses on ecosystem structure and function

Ecological Economics ◽

10.1016/0921-8009(91)90028-d ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 168-169

Author(s):

Nils Kautsky

Keyword(s):

Structure And Function ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

And Function ◽

Ecosystem Structure And Function

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Experimental warming differentially affects vegetative and reproductive phenology of tundra plants

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-021-23841-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Courtney G. Collins ◽

Sarah C. Elmendorf ◽

Robert D. Hollister ◽

Greg H. R. Henry ◽

Karin Clark ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growing Season ◽

Plant Phenology ◽

Reproductive Phenology ◽

Ecosystem Structure ◽

Experimental Warming ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Tundra Ecosystem ◽

Phenological Shifts ◽

And Function ◽

Ecosystem Structure And Function

AbstractRapid climate warming is altering Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystem structure and function, including shifts in plant phenology. While the advancement of green up and flowering are well-documented, it remains unclear whether all phenophases, particularly those later in the season, will shift in unison or respond divergently to warming. Here, we present the largest synthesis to our knowledge of experimental warming effects on tundra plant phenology from the International Tundra Experiment. We examine the effect of warming on a suite of season-wide plant phenophases. Results challenge the expectation that all phenophases will advance in unison to warming. Instead, we find that experimental warming caused: (1) larger phenological shifts in reproductive versus vegetative phenophases and (2) advanced reproductive phenophases and green up but delayed leaf senescence which translated to a lengthening of the growing season by approximately 3%. Patterns were consistent across sites, plant species and over time. The advancement of reproductive seasons and lengthening of growing seasons may have significant consequences for trophic interactions and ecosystem function across the tundra.

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