He expressed his astonishment at the limited number of studies indicating that wolves, bears, and cougars significantly impact elk, moose, and deer populations. Rather, the primary factor influencing fluctuations in elk population numbers throughout the West is human activity.
“In the majority of mainland ecosystems, it is only when wolves are paired with grizzly bears and human hunting is substantially eliminated that you observe them controlling prey numbers,” Wilmers stated. “In other circumstances, they mainly function as background noise in relation to how humans manage prey populations.”
According to Wilmers, in certain studies, ungulate populations actually saw a slight increase with the presence of wolves and grizzlies, likely because human wildlife managers had overestimated the impact of predators while decreasing hunting quotas.
“This is an essential review, as it is well conducted and underscores areas that require further investigation,” commented Rae Wynn-Grant, a wildlife ecologist and cohost of the television program Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, in correspondence with Inside Climate News. Wynn-Grant did not participate in the research paper, and her contributions were not part of its analysis.
From her perspective, the paper indicated that an increase in predators within an ecosystem does not necessarily lead to a balance in plant communities. “Our reality would be much more straightforward if it did,” she remarked, “but the evidence implies that numerous variables influence how ecosystems respond to rises in carnivore populations in North America.”
Yellowstone, known for its vast valleys, relatively accessible terrain, and recognition as an iconic, protected area, has become a focal point for scientists seeking to address a fundamental question: Can an ecosystem that has lost its key large carnivores be restored to its pre-extinction condition upon their reintroduction?
Wilmers believes scientists have yet to answer this question, apart from demonstrating that it may take decades to unravel the factors behind ecological changes in a setting like Yellowstone. According to him, any alterations that arise when a predator becomes extinct may be impossible to swiftly revert.
The concept of Yellowstone’s alternative stable state was a notion shared by researchers on both sides of the trophic cascade debate, and Wilmers views it as crucial for assessing the trade-offs involved in reintroducing large carnivores.
“It is preferable to prevent the loss of beavers and wolves from occurring in the first instance than to deal with that loss and attempt to restore them later,” he stated.
This article was first published on Inside Climate News.
