trophic cascades & the balance of nature steve hall adirondack wildlife refuge & rehab...

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

http://www.adirondackwildlife.org/

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



Friends & Volunteers



Zeebie – July 2009



Cree & Zeebie



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


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


“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



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


Steve Hall, Seward 2012


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


Steve Hall, Seward 2012


Steve Hall, Johnstone Strait, Vancouver Island, 1996


Wolves as Keystone Predators


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


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



What animals do Wolves prey on?

Old, Lame, Infirm & YoungHerbivorous Ungulates

– Hoofed Mammals Deer & elkMooseBisonCaribouMusk oxLivestock

Smaller mammalsBeaverHareRodents



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


http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/wolf-wars/chadwick-text


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



Factors needed to ensure Ecosystem survival:

Cores, Corridors & CarnivoresInaccessible wildernessWildlife CorridorsUnderstanding & Appreciating the Role of Predators in natureCompassionAppreciation of Tourism Effect



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


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


KestrelSmallest FalconApex PredatorControl small rodents and large insectsOpen Field HabitatFarmer’s Friend Cavity NesterThreatened species in NY


Family Album


Cree Puppy Shots


Cree at 6 months


Cree at 2 years


Cree at 6 years


Zeebie at 10 months


Zeebie at 16 months


Cree & Zeebie with Alex


Say Goodnight Boys!

Other Mammals at the Refuge

Bobcat & Red Fox


“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


Thank You!Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center

www.AdirondackWildlife.org977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington, NY 12997

1-855-Wolf-Man

trophic cascades & the balance of nature steve hall adirondack wildlife refuge & rehab...

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