Fear of large carnivores causes a trophic cascade

Justin P. Suraci; Michael Clinchy; Lawrence M. Dill; Devin Roberts; Liana Y. Zanette

doi:10.1038/ncomms10698

Nature Communications (Feb 2016)

Fear of large carnivores causes a trophic cascade

Justin P. Suraci,
Michael Clinchy,
Lawrence M. Dill,
Devin Roberts,
Liana Y. Zanette

Affiliations

Justin P. Suraci: Department of Biology, University of Victoria
Michael Clinchy: Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario
Lawrence M. Dill: Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Devin Roberts: Department of Biology, University of Victoria
Liana Y. Zanette: Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10698
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Top predators may indirectly influence ecological processes through fear-induced behavioural changes in their prey. By experimentally manipulating this ‘landscape of fear’, Suraci et al. show that fear of large carnivores in a mesopredator can cause cascading effects down the food web that benefit its prey.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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