Keystone Predation

When feeding in a treacherous environment both prey and predator must develop a varied range of hunting and defense behaviors.

“Restoring an ecologically complete ecosystem in Yellowstone requires the return of willows--and with them, beavers. There's a clear threshold for ecosystem recovery. Willow stands must be more than 6 feet tall, the scientists found. That height is important, says Marshall. Then willows are beyond the reach of browsing elk, and can serve as seed sources for new young willows. Once willows have returned, beavers will gnaw down a certain number of them to build dams. The dams will further slow stream flow, allowing yet more willows to grow. The results offer new insights on the role of wolf-driven trophic cascades in the Yellowstone ecosystem, says Hobbs. Trophic cascades like that in Yellowstone occur when predators--or the lack thereof--in an ecosystem change the abundance or alter traits of their prey, in turn affecting the next lower trophic level.” ("National Science Foundation", 2013)

Additionally, avoiders often have a history of conflict with humans or may find themselves in specific habitat requirements in regards of reproduction as well as foraging, which can be unattainable within human settlements. Unfortunately, these species are also likely to experience high mortality rates as well as decreased reproductive rates when found within human dominated habitats. Mountain lions are also human avoiders but occasionally find themselves in conflict with communities due to the reoccurring conflict of eating livestock as well as pets.

This lab report focus on the risk of extinction of the panther species of Florida due to habitat loss (urbanization), collisions road kill, intolerance and poor genetic diversity have been confined to this animal to live in a small part of South Florida become one of the most endangered mammals on the planet. About 160 cats remain in the wild. Therefore the objective of this report is to disseminate knowledge regarding the extinction of native species by identifying the mortality, its causes, area of action, level of ecosystem and possible solutions to prevent their extinction

As the human population is increasing, Florida Panthers are decreasing. In the past, Native Americans would kill panthers for their coat, teeth, meat, and for medical uses (Alderson, pg. 23). There have also been several human-panther encounters where humans have tried to kill the panther. It is noted that panthers never try to come after individuals (Alderson, pg. 18). However; individuals still feel as if they are in danger when they are in contact with a panther. People also feel the need to harass and mess with Florida Panthers. With an increasing population, there are more people harming these animals. There have been several actions taken to prevent these occurrences from reoccurring. To avoid the amount of panthers being killed by humans there is laws in place that punishes people that bother, hurt, wound, agitate, or eradicate Florida Panthers (Alvarez, pg. 198). When an individual sees a panther they should not harm it; instead they should admire its

"Sport" hunting is a violent form of recreation that has left countless animals maimed, and orphaned animals vulnerable to starvation, exposure, and predation. This activity disrupts natural animal population dynamics and has contributed to the extinction of animal species all over the world, including the Tasmanian tiger and the great auk.(1,2)

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are marine mammals capable of spending their entire lives in water. Being carnivorous in nature, they feed on sea urchins, crabs, fishes, mussels and clams. They are referred to as keystone species due to their profound impact on marine ecology. The interaction between sea otters, sea urchins and kelp forests has been studied as a model for the impact of predator-prey interactions on community ecology. Sea otters are keystone predators, whose presence has a far-reaching influence on the marine food web by affecting the populations of sea urchins, which indirectly affects the populations of kelp

In this article, authors William Ripple and Robert Beschta focus on the issue of predation and the way it affects biodiversity and otherwise alters ecosystems. While many other studies have stressed the lethal effects of predation by carnivores, the authors of this study have chosen to focus on how nonlethal outcomes of predation affect the structure and function of ecosystems. The authors give two main objectives to their study: first to provide a short synthesis of the potential ecosystem responses to predation risk in a three-level trophic cascade involving large carnivores, hoofed animals, and vegetation; and secondly to present research that centers on wolves, elk, and woody browse species in the northern area of Yellowstone National

Many people believe they are part of the strong of the world. Although they could be considered stronger than others right now, they do not realize their position on the food chain can change. “The Most Dangerous Game” gives people the idea that world is divided between the hunters and the hunted, but it also gives us the situation of when there’s a hunter versus a hunter, one is surely to lose. As the world continues to change, the idea of hunters and huntees will remain, creating skilled predators, and leaving many animals falling to

Predators and prey are organisms that interrelate, and they can influence on another’s success in reproduction. Predators are organisms that consume other organisms-their prey. These two organisms evolve together. They live in an environment where they must develop certain adaptations to survive. When an adaptation is developed, it gives an organism certain physical characteristics that create an advantage for survival and can come to dominate in a population. An adaptation aids survival by either decreasing a prey's chance of being eaten, or by increasing a predator's chance of obtaining food to survive and reproduce. Predators must fight for food. They face density-independent

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are marine mammals capable of spending their entire lives in water. Being carnivorous in nature, they feed on sea urchins, crabs, fishes, mussels and clams. They are referred to as keystone species due to their profound impact on marine ecology. The interaction between sea otters, sea urchins and kelp forests has been studied as a model of the impact of predator-prey interaction on community ecology. Sea otters are keystone predators, whose presence has a far-reaching influence on the marine food web by affecting the population of sea urchins in particular, and kelp forests & other marine organisms in general. There has been a steep decline in sea otter populations due to water pollution and exploitation for

Majestic, noble, and brave, this famous iconic wild animal on the planet has captivated the people since the beginning of time. They are most feared by other animals thus, known as the king of the jungle – no other than the lions. Member of the genus Panthera, the lion is one of the big cats in the Felidae family. A lion’s head and body size average about 4.5 to 6.5 feet and tail of about 26 to 40 inches in length. A lion also weighs about 265 up to 420 pounds and a size relative to a 6-foot human. These mammals are also carnivores. Lions have always seen hunting in groups called pride. While lions generally avoid a full-grown elephant, lions still prefer their preys large like the zebras, buffaloes, and giraffes. Poised as the top animal in the ecological pyramid, lions have strong physical qualities, fascinating reputation, and an unfortunate decreasing number of population.

Planet Earth is the one and only home for humans, and it’s their natural duty to protect it and all of its inhabitants. For many people, the fate of animals is of little importance, especially when there are so many of their own species suffering throughout the world. However, only when one has respect for nature can he or she come to appreciate for his or herself. In the past few decades, some animals have progressively come closer and closer to extinction. When compared to demographics 30 years ago, less than 5% of tiger and rhino populations remain in the wild (Congressional). The main culprits for this abominable crime against nature are avaricious poachers who seek personal gain and profit. Poaching is the illegal killing of

Conflict between people and felids is a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed in order to develop effective conservation strategies (Inskip & Zimmermannm, 2009). The puma (Puma concolor), also known as cougar or mountain lion, is a wide-ranging felid that historically have been perceived to harm livestock, lifestyles, and even human life. Conflicts arise when humans and pumas compete for space and resources (Graham et al., 2005), resulting in increased human-puma interactions, increase of local concerns, and risk of depredation on domestic animals. The puma is an adaptable and generalist mammal with the ability to use several habitat and consume a high variety of prey (Iriarte et al., 1990). These characteristics highlight the importance of understanding the nature of human-puma interactions and the potential risks for the species, according to each specific location and situation.

Many anmals have different ways on survivng on this planet. Lions are animals that are feared. When a lion is hungry they don't just got to a McDonalds and order a burger. They hunt for food. They're tactical and quick. For example, a gazele is walking around minding its own business. But, what it doesn't know that a lion is stalking it waiting for the right time to leap out and attack. A lion can hunt at anytime of the day because they have night vision where it can see both during the day and during the night. A lion must find its mate to reprouce. When they do reproduce they have cubs, and they take care of their cubs until its old enough to hunt and live its own life. Even though a lion is feared it still has to survive because other animals,