RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Dominant carnivore loss benefits native avian and invasive mammalian scavengers
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.09.06.459188
DO 10.1101/2021.09.06.459188
A1 Matthew W. Fielding
A1 Calum X. Cunningham
A1 Jessie C. Buettel
A1 Dejan Stojanovic
A1 Menna E. Jones
A1 Barry W. Brook
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/09/06/2021.09.06.459188.abstract
AB Scavenging by large carnivores is integral for ecosystem functioning by limiting the build-up of carrion and facilitating widespread energy flows. However, top carnivores have declined across the world, triggering trophic shifts within ecosystems. In this study, we use a natural ‘removal experiment’ of disease-driven decline and island extirpation of native mammalian (marsupial) carnivores to investigate top-down control on utilisation of experimentally placed carcasses by two mesoscavengers – the invasive feral cat and native forest raven. Ravens were the main beneficiary of carnivore loss, scavenging for five times longer in the absence of native mammalian carnivores. Cats scavenged on almost half of all carcasses in the region without dominant native carnivores. This was eight times more than in areas where other carnivores were at high densities. In the absence of native mammalian carnivores, all carcasses persisted in the environment for 3 weeks. Our results reveal the efficiency of carrion consumption by mammalian scavengers. These services are not readily replaced by less-efficient facultative scavengers. This demonstrates the significance of global carnivore conservation and supports novel management approaches, such as rewilding in areas where the natural suite of carnivores is missing.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.