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Trophic cascades also impact the biodiversity of ecosystems, and when examined from that perspective wolves appear to be having multiple, positive cascading impacts on the biodiversity of Yellowstone National Park. These impacts include: This diagram illustrates trophic cascade caused by removal of the top predator.
The wolves became significant predators of coyotes after their reintroduction. Since then, in 1995 and 1996, the local coyote population went through a dramatic restructuring. Until the wolves returned, Yellowstone National Park had one of the densest and most stable coyote populations in America due to a lack of human impacts.
William Ripple is the author of more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific articles, most of which deal with trophic cascades. [10]Ripple, along with his frequent coauthor, Robert Beschta, have studied, published, and publicized the positive impact that gray wolves have had on the Yellowstone National Park ecosystem since their reintroduction in 1995 and 1996. [11]
The presence of apex predators improves habitat quality and species viability down the food chain. This reintroduction could be a model for repairing ecosystems.
As with other wolf subspecies, Arabian wolves can facilitate a trophic cascade by suppressing smaller carnivores such as golden jackals (Canis aureus) and foxes (Genus Vulpes). This allows smaller herbivores to become more abundant. [31]
Tucked into the landscape of South Salem, New York, the Wolf Conservation Center (WCC) is a haven of hope and education for one of nature’s most misunderstood predators. Founded in the mid-1990s ...
The most famous example of a trophic cascade is that of the introduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park, which had extradionary effects to the ecosystem. Yellowstone had a massive population of elk because they had no predators, which caused the local aspen population and other vegetation to significantly decrease in population size.
Keystone species tend to be at the higher trophic levels, often being the apex predator. Removal of the keystone species causes top-down trophic cascades. Wolves are keystone species, being an apex predator. In Yellowstone National Park the loss of the wolf population through overhunting resulted in the loss of biodiversity in the community.