trophic cascades & the balance of nature steve hall adirondack wildlife refuge & rehab...
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Trophic Cascades & the Balance of Nature
Steve Hall
Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Centerwww.AdirondackWildlife.org
977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington, NY
Dire Wolf by Mark Hallett
Need Licenses from US Fish & Wildlife & NY DEC! Work with
veterinarians & volunteers
Want to help?Be PreparedThrow a blanket
& box in the carNever touch
raccoon, fox or bat
What we do at ADK Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center:
Rehab Injured Wildlife
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Need License from US Fish & Wildlife
What we do at ADK Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center:
Education with Non-Releasable Wildlife
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
How Do Species Change over Time?
No Species evolves in a vacuumNature helps and hinders Species SurvivalNatural Selection & Mutations choose breedersTop-Down Predation controls most preyThe “arms race”Predators & Prey species change over timePrey switching has cascading effects
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Dire Wolf by Mark Hallett
Gray Wolf by Jesse Gigandet
The Pleistocene Invasion across Beringia
Trophic Cascades & BioDiversity
:
In Nature, Everything
is Connected!
http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Figueroa_EL/lifescience4.htm
Trophic Cascades“So, Nat’ralists observe, a Flea
Hath smaller Fleas that on him prey, And these have smaller yet to bite ‘em,
And so proceed ad infinitum.” Jonathan Swift
Circle of LifePlants eat air, water & sunshineHerbivores eat plantsCarnivores eat herbivoresCarrying Capacity“One hill cannot shelter two tigers”Charles Elton, Spitzenberg, 1927, “Animal Ecology”Diatoms- fish – seabirds - Arctic fox – polar bears
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
“Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg
Star Fish and MusslesProf. Robert Paine, Mukkaw Bay, Olympic Peninsula, 1963Pisaster StarfishMytilus californianus – mussleRemoval of predacious starfish results in explosion of their prey
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
“Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg
Steve HallPacific Rim
Nat’l Park ‘98
Alex with Kelp Steve Hall
Pacific Rim Nat’l Park ‘98
Sea Otters and Kelp BedsKelp Beds are Critical Marine HabitatPreyed upon by Sea UrchinsSea Otters are Apex PredatorsSea Otters are Keystone PredatorsOtter control the sea urchins
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Steve Hall, Seward 2012
“Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg
James Estes
Kamchitka, Aleutian Islands, 1960s to late 90s
Killer Whales & Sea Otters1950s expansion of Bering Sea whaling by Russia & JapanKiller Whales switch from whales to seals & sea lionsAlaskan Fisheries reduced by fishing trawlers & temp changesFish eating Harbor seals, fur seals & sea lions declineKiller Whales switch from seals to sea ottersKelp beds again endangered by sea urchins
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Steve Hall, Seward 2012
“Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg
Steve Hall, Johnstone Strait, Vancouver Island, 1996
Wolves as Keystone Predators
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Alex Hall
WolvesKeystone Predators
Control ungulatesControl other predators
Family OrientedSelf Regulating
Based on number of prey species & disease
Lead Short & Dangerous LivesHarmless to PeoplePotentially Dangerous to livestock and petsOften Misrepresented in mediaAll dogs are canis lupus familiaris
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Zeebie
Wolves are Territorial & NomadicTerritory sizes range from 200 to 2,000 square milesTerritory Size determined By:
How many mouths to feed?
How much & what types prey available?
Presence of other wolf packs defending surrounding territories restricts expansion of territory.
Buffer zonesTerritory MarkingHowling as indication of location & strength
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
What animals do Wolves prey on?
Old, Lame, Infirm & YoungHerbivorous Ungulates
– Hoofed Mammals Deer & elkMooseBisonCaribouMusk oxLivestock
Smaller mammalsBeaverHareRodents
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Keystone Predators & Trophic Cascades:
Wolf Reintroduction to Yellowstone National Park
1995-96Predators instill the ecology of fearApex Predators control prey animals
Keystone Predators Alter Their EnvironmentReduce 20k elk to 10k, eliminate meso predators & intimidate large predators100 Wolves preying on 10,000 elkCulled half the over-browsing elk
How did the presence of Wolves benefit trout, beaver & pronghorn?Wolves suffering from distemper, parvo, mange and inter-pack fighting
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/wolf-wars/chadwick-text
Major causes of Wolf mortality?
StarvationCaught Trespassing in other pack’s territoryTerritory Invaded by other packKilled by Intended preyDiseaseHunting by humans
Aerial huntingTrappingPoisoning
Inbreeding
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Factors needed to ensure Ecosystem survival:
Cores, Corridors & CarnivoresInaccessible wildernessWildlife CorridorsUnderstanding & Appreciating the Role of Predators in natureCompassionAppreciation of Tourism Effect
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
What Happens to Herbivores & Plants when you Remove
Predators?Herbivores afflicted with infectious, contagious diseases are not removed by predators.
CWD- Chronic Wasting DiseaseEHD- Epizootic hemorrhagic disease
Larger number of herbivores over-browse target vegetation & enable spread of invasives.
Favor browsing native speciesLearn to browse invasive species, & end up spreading seeds around.Over-browsing can lead to prey collapse
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Garlic mustard
Common Reed Grass
Japanese Knotwood
Purple Loosestrife
Short Eared OwlsApex PredatorControl voles and other rodentsWinter in Washington County Grasslands Important Bird Area Ground NesterEndangered species in NY
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
KestrelSmallest FalconApex PredatorControl small rodents and large insectsOpen Field HabitatFarmer’s Friend Cavity NesterThreatened species in NY
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Family Album
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Cree Puppy Shots
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Cree at 6 months
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Cree at 6 months
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Cree at 2 years
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Cree at 6 years
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Zeebie at 10 months
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Zeebie at 16 months
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Cree & Zeebie with Alex
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Say Goodnight Boys!
Other Mammals at the Refuge
Bobcat & Red Fox
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
“Pippin”Red Fox
Most widely dispersed mammalian carnivoreMulti-Terrain AdaptableNumbers controlled by wolf & coyotePredators: bobcat, fisher & great horned owlOmnivorous Diet include invertebrates, small mammals, birds & fruitFood caches feed other animalsGreat sense of hearing & smellAmbush hunterControls rodents & Chickens!“Dog Foxes” & “Vixens”Solitary save for mating & rearing season8 to 10 pups in litter
www.AdirondackWildlife.org
Thank You!Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center
www.AdirondackWildlife.org977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington, NY 12997
1-855-Wolf-Man
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