| Title: | Top-predator control-induced trophic cascades: an alternative hypothesis to the conclusion of Colman et al |
| Address: | "School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia benjamin.allen@daff.qld.gov.au" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1471-2954 (Electronic) 0962-8452 (Print) 0962-8452 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Colman et al. (2014 Proc. R. Soc. B 281, 20133094. (doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.3094)) 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 control-induced 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" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Biodiversity *Predatory Behavior *Wolves Canis lupus dingo feral cat mesopredator release red fox trophic cascade; |
| Notes: | "MedlineAllen, Benjamin L eng Comment England 2014/12/05 Proc Biol Sci. 2015 Jan 22; 282(1799):20141251. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1251" |
