The mesoscavenger release hypothesis and implications for ecosystem and human well-being.
The mesoscavenger release hypothesis and implications for ecosystem and human well-being.
复制标题
中观清除剂释放假说及其对生态系统和人类福祉的影响。
作者：
Christopher J. O’Bryan;M. Holden;J. Watson
许多顶端清道夫物种，包括几乎所有专职清道夫物种，都处于快速下降的状态，越来越多的证据表明，这些下降可以极大地改变生态食物网。我们对顶端清道夫如何调节中层清道夫种群的理解正在改善；然而，关于这些物种因丧失顶端清道夫而竞争性释放的证据，还没有全面的评估。在这里，我们提供了当前的证据，支持中洞穴动物释放假说，面对顶端清道夫的减少，中洞穴动物的增加和腐肉的增加。我们提供了两个清道夫动力学模型来证明中洞穴动物释放假说与生态学理论是一致的。我们进一步研究了顶端清道夫衰退对生态和人类福祉的影响，包括腐肉去除和疾病监管服务。
Many apex scavenger species, including nearly all obligate scavengers, are in a state of rapid decline and there is growing evidence these declines can drastically alter ecological food webs. Our understanding of how apex scavengers regulate populations of mesoscavengers, those less-efficient scavengers occupying mid-trophic levels, is improving; yet, there has been no comprehensive evaluation of the evidence around the competitive release of these species by the loss of apex scavengers. Here we present current evidence that supports the mesoscavenger release hypothesis, the increase in mesoscavengers and increase in carrion in the face of declining apex scavengers. We provide two models of scavenger dynamics to demonstrate that the mesoscavenger release hypothesis is consistent with ecological theory. We further examine the ecological and human well-being implications of apex scavenger decline, including carrion removal and disease regulation services.