Predicting ecological consequences of marine top predator declines

Recent studies document unprecedented declines in marine top predators that can initiate trophic cascades. Predicting the wider ecological consequences of these declines requires understanding how predators influence communities by inflicting mortality on prey and inducing behavioral modifications (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in ecology & evolution (Amsterdam) 2008-04, Vol.23 (4), p.202-210
Main Authors: Heithaus, Michael R., Frid, Alejandro, Wirsing, Aaron J., Worm, Boris
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Biodiversity
Biological and medical sciences
Conservation of Natural Resources
Ecosystem
Fishes
Food Chain
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Population Dynamics
Predatory Behavior
Risk Assessment
Sea water ecosystems
Seawater
Sharks
Shellfish
Synecology
Turtles
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Summary:Recent studies document unprecedented declines in marine top predators that can initiate trophic cascades. Predicting the wider ecological consequences of these declines requires understanding how predators influence communities by inflicting mortality on prey and inducing behavioral modifications (risk effects). Both mechanisms are important in marine communities, and a sole focus on the effects of predator-inflicted mortality might severely underestimate the importance of predators. We outline direct and indirect consequences of marine predator declines and propose an integrated predictive framework that includes risk effects, which appear to be strongest for long-lived prey species and when resources are abundant. We conclude that marine predators should be managed for the maintenance of both density- and risk-driven ecological processes, and not demographic persistence alone.
ISSN:0169-5347
1872-8383
DOI:10.1016/j.tree.2008.01.003