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Top-predator control-induced trophic cascades: an alternative hypothesis to the conclusion of Colman et al.

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Allen, B. L. (2014) Top-predator control-induced trophic cascades: an alternative hypothesis to the conclusion of Colman et al. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 282 (1799). p. 20141251. ISSN 0962-8452

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1251

Publisher URL: http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/282/1799/20141251

Abstract

Recently argued that observed positive relationships between dingoes and small mammals were a result of top-down processes whereby lethal dingo control reduced dingoes and increased mesopredators and herbivores, which then suppressed small mammals. Here, I show that the prerequisite negative effects of dingo control on dingoes were not shown, and that the same positive relationships observed may simply represent well-known bottom-up processes whereby more generalist predators are found in places with more of their preferred prey. Identification of top-predator controlinduced trophic cascades first requires demonstration of some actual effect of control on predators, typically possible only through manipulative experiments with the ability to identify cause and effect.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Biosecurity Queensland
Keywords:canid evolutionarily stable strategy food web identification key predator control small mammal trophic cascade Canis familiaris dingo Mammalia
Subjects:Animal culture > Small animal culture
Science > Invasive Species > Animals
Live Archive:18 Mar 2015 01:53
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:50

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