(Canis Lupus Dingo) Acoustic Repertoire: Form and Contexts

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

(Canis Lupus Dingo) Acoustic Repertoire: Form and Contexts Behaviour 150 (2013) 75–101 brill.com/beh Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) acoustic repertoire: form and contexts Éloïse C. Déaux ∗ and Jennifer A. Clarke Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2122, Australia *Corresponding author’s e-mail address: [email protected] Accepted 5 November 2012 Abstract The classification and description of a species’ acoustic repertoire is critical to our understanding of broader behavioural patterns and provides data for future cross-species comparative studies. To date, our understanding of canid auditory communication remains limited as full acoustic repertoires have been compiled for only nine of 36 extant species. Dingoes (Canis lupus dingo)are apex predators in Australia, and while their ecology and life-history patterns have been extensively studied, their communication system remains poorly understood. Early studies noted four sound types, but whether this represented the dingoes’ full range of laryngeal and nasal sounds was unknown. We aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively describe the full acoustic repertoire of dingoes. We identified nine discrete vocalisations (i.e., laryngeal sounds) and two nasal sounds. Of these nine vocalisations, five were previously identified as common to other canid species. This study also revealed that dingoes possess a graded acoustic communication system, where the gradual change in acoustic characteristics of discrete vocalisations was noted. Dingoes also uttered ‘mixed sounds’, a finding in concordance with previous studies of social canids. Additionally, we established an ethogram to further our understanding of the contexts in which dingo acoustic communication occurs. Keywords Canidae, dingo, acoustic repertoire, ethogram, cross-species comparisons. 1. Introduction The quantitative classification and description of acoustic repertoires is use- ful in gaining a better understanding of a species’ behavioural patterns (Robbins, 2000) per se. In addition, it also provides data for cross-species comparisons, which are essential to our understanding of the evolution of communication systems and associated life-history traits. For instance, Co- hen & Fox (1976) discuss the effect of domestication on canid vocalisations © 2013 Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden DOI:10.1163/1568539X-00003038 76 Dingo acoustic and behavioural repertoires Table 1. Number of adult sounds described for dingoes and those canid species whose full vocal repertoires have been compiled. Species Number of sounds Reference Dingo (C. lupus dingo) 4 Corbett & Newsome (1975); Corbett (2001) Coyote (C. latrans) 11 Lehner (1978) Timber wolf (C. lupus) 11 Schassburger (1993) Red wolf (C. rufus) 7 McCarley (1978) African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) 11 Robbins (2000) Dhole (Cuon alpinus) 11 Volodin et al. (2001) Bush dog (Speothos venaticus) 8 Brady (1981) Crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) 6 Brady (1981) Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) 8 Brady (1981) Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) 12 Newton-Fisher et al. (1993) based on the comparisons of vocal repertoires of dogs (Canis familiaris)and other canids. It has also been proposed that increased sociality is associ- ated with an increased complexity of the acoustic communication system in canids and in mustelids (Cohen & Fox, 1976; Wong et al., 1999, respec- tively). However, comparative studies are limited by the amount of data available for closely related species. In canids, acoustic repertoires (which may include laryngeal and nasal sounds) have been compiled for only nine out of 36 extant species (Table 1). Clearly, there is a need for additional reper- toires to be assembled, to gain knowledge at the species and higher levels of organization (Schassburger, 1993). The dingo, C. lupus dingo, is one of the canid species whose auditory communication system remains poorly understood. In a preliminary analy- sis, Corbett & Newsome (1975) qualitatively described three vocalisations: ‘howls’, ‘bark-howls’ and ‘moans’. Howling was hypothesized to serve lo- cating individuals whether to repel or attract them and bark-howls were suggested to serve as warning signals about immediate threats (Corbett & Newsome, 1975; Thomson, 1992a). Moans were recorded from individuals approaching waterholes and were proposed to function as alerting signals announcing the caller’s approach. Later, Corbett (2001) added a nasal sound termed a ‘snuff’, which was suggested to aid gaining information about the environment but was not proposed to possess a communicative function. None of these hypotheses have been investigated..
Recommended publications
  • The Wily and Courageous Red Fox: Behavioural Analysis of a Mesopredator at Resource Points Shared by an Apex Predator
    animals Article The Wily and Courageous Red Fox: Behavioural Analysis of a Mesopredator at Resource Points Shared by an Apex Predator Eamonn Wooster *, Arian D. Wallach and Daniel Ramp Centre for Compassionate Conservation, University of Technology Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Ultimo, New South Wales 2007, Australia; [email protected] (A.D.W.); [email protected] (D.R.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 21 September 2019; Accepted: 31 October 2019; Published: 4 November 2019 Simple Summary: The red fox is one of the Earth’s most widespread mammalian predators. Human globalisation has further expanded its range, so that today they are found on most continents. Despite their abundance, knowledge of fox behaviour remains limited. Most studies have observed foxes either in captivity or in their native range where both they and their predators are killed by humans. We conducted a behavioural study on foxes outside of their native range in Australia, at a unique location where all wildlife are protected. We developed an ethogram to explore fox behaviour at resource points shared with a potentially deadly apex predator, the dingo. We were surprised to find that foxes were in a confident state more often than in a cautious state, even leaving territorial markings over those of dingoes. One possible explanation for the confidence of foxes is that the social stability of both foxes and dingoes makes their world more predictable. Abstract: The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is a widespread and ecologically significant terrestrial mesopredator, that has expanded its range with human globalisation. Despite this, we know relatively little about their behaviour under the wide range of ecological conditions they experience, particularly how they navigate the risk of encounters with apex predators.
    [Show full text]
  • Reintroducing the Dingo: the Risk of Dingo Predation to Threatened Vertebrates of Western New South Wales
    CSIRO PUBLISHING Wildlife Research http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WR11128 Reintroducing the dingo: the risk of dingo predation to threatened vertebrates of western New South Wales B. L. Allen A,C and P. J. S. Fleming B AThe University of Queensland, School of Animal Studies, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia. BVertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia. CCorresponding author. Present address: Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Sulfide Street, Broken Hill, NSW 2880, Australia. Email: [email protected] Abstract Context. The reintroduction of dingoes into sheep-grazing areas south-east of the dingo barrier fence has been suggested as a mechanism to suppress fox and feral-cat impacts. Using the Western Division of New South Wales as a case study, Dickman et al. (2009) recently assessed the risk of fox and cat predation to extant threatened species and concluded that reintroducing dingoes into the area would have positive effects for most of the threatened vertebrates there, aiding their recovery through trophic cascade effects. However, they did not formally assess the risk of dingo predation to the same threatened species. Aims. To assess the risk of dingo predation to the extant and locally extinct threatened vertebrates of western New South Wales using methods amenable to comparison with Dickman et al. (2009). Methods. The predation-risk assessment method used in Dickman et al. (2009) for foxes and cats was applied here to dingoes, with minor modification to accommodate the dietary differences of dingoes. This method is based on six independent biological attributes, primarily reflective of potential vulnerability characteristics of the prey.
    [Show full text]
  • The Wayward Dog: Is the Australian Native Dog Or Dingo a Distinct Species?
    Zootaxa 4317 (2): 201–224 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) http://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2017 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4317.2.1 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3CD420BC-2AED-4166-85F9-CCA0E4403271 The Wayward Dog: Is the Australian native dog or Dingo a distinct species? STEPHEN M. JACKSON1,2,3,9, COLIN P. GROVES4, PETER J.S. FLEMING5,6, KEN P. APLIN3, MARK D.B. ELDRIDGE7, ANTONIO GONZALEZ4 & KRISTOFER M. HELGEN8 1Animal Biosecurity & Food Safety, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, New South Wales 2800, Australia. 2School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052. 3Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA. E-mail: [email protected] 4School of Archaeology & Anthropology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. E: [email protected]; [email protected] 5Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, Biosecurity NSW, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange, New South Wales 2800, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] 6 School of Environmental & Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia. 7Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, 1 William St. Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] 8School of Biological Sciences, Environment Institute, and ARC (Australian Research Council) Centre for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. E-mail: [email protected] 9Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The taxonomic identity and status of the Australian Dingo has been unsettled and controversial since its initial description in 1792.
    [Show full text]
  • Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids Every Organism on Earth
    Energy to Live: Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids Every organism on Earth needs energy to live. Except for newly discovered species living in the deepest parts of the ocean, every species on Earth gets the energy they need to live from the sun. Food chains and food webs can both be used to show how energy moves from the sun to different animals. A food chain shows the path of energy through a chain of different organisms. The first link on a food chain is a producer. Producers include plants, bacteria, and algae. Plants are an important producer for humans. They use energy from the sun, water, and carbon dioxide in a process called photosynthesis to create energy. The plants use some of this energy to live and grow; the rest is stored for later use. The organism that eats the plant is called the primary consumer in the food chain. Both herbivores and omnivores eat plants. Herbivores only eat producers such as plants. Omnivores will eat both producers and other consumers (meat). The next link in the food chain is the secondary consumer. Secondary consumers are either carnivores or omnivores that eat the primary consumers. Carnivores only eat meat (other consumers). Another carnivore or omnivore will eat the secondary consumer. These are called tertiary consumers. There can be many links a food chain, but most food chains have a limited number of consumers. This is because a lot of energy is lost with every link of the chain. Each organism will use some of the energy it gets from eating, meaning that less energy is available to the next organism along the chain.
    [Show full text]
  • Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) and Wild Dogs (Dingoes (Canis Lupus Dingo
    International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 3 (2014) 75–80 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ijppaw Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and wild dogs (dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) and dingo/domestic dog hybrids), as sylvatic hosts for Australian Taenia hydatigena and Taenia ovis ⇑ David J. Jenkins a, , Nigel A.R. Urwin a, Thomas M. Williams a, Kate L. Mitchell a, Jan J. Lievaart a, Maria Teresa Armua-Fernandez b a School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia b Institute for Parasitology, Winterthurerstr 266a, University of Zürich, Zürich CH-8057, Switzerland article info abstract Article history: Foxes (n = 499), shot during vertebrate pest control programs, were collected in various sites in the Aus- Received 29 January 2014 tralian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales (NSW) and Western Australia (WA). Wild dogs (dingoes Revised 17 March 2014 (Canis lupus dingo) and their hybrids with domestic dogs) (n = 52) captured also as part of vertebrate pest Accepted 17 March 2014 control programs were collected from several sites in the ACT and NSW. The intestine from each fox and wild dog was collected, and all Taenia tapeworms identified morphologically were collected and identi- fied to species based on the DNA sequence of the small subunit of the mitochondrial ribosomal RNA (rrnS) Keywords: gene. Taenia species were recovered from 6.0% of the ACT/NSW foxes, 5.1% of WA foxes and 46.1% of ACT/ Taenia ovis NSW wild dogs. Taenia ovis was recovered from two foxes, 1/80 from Jugiong, NSW and 1/102 from T.
    [Show full text]
  • LARGE CANID (Canidae) CARE MANUAL
    LARGE CANID (Canidae) CARE MANUAL CREATED BY THE AZA Canid Taxon Advisory Group IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE AZA Animal Welfare Committee Large Canid (Canidae) Care Manual Large Canid (Canidae) Care Manual Published by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in association with the AZA Animal Welfare Committee Formal Citation: AZA Canid TAG 2012. Large Canid (Canidae) Care Manual. Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Silver Spring, MD. p.138. Authors and Significant contributors: Melissa Rodden, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, AZA Maned Wolf SSP Coordinator. Peter Siminski, The Living Desert, AZA Mexican Wolf SSP Coordinator. Will Waddell, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, AZA Red Wolf SSP Coordinator. Michael Quick, Sedgwick County Zoo, AZA African Wild Dog SSP Coordinator. Reviewers: Melissa Rodden, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, AZA Maned Wolf SSP Coordinator. Peter Siminski, The Living Desert, AZA Mexican Wolf SSP Coordinator. Will Waddell, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, AZA Red Wolf SSP Coordinator. Michael Quick, Sedgwick County Zoo, AZA African Wild Dog SSP Coordinator. Mike Maslanka, Smithsonian’s National Zoo, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group Barbara Henry, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, AZA Nutrition Advisory Group Raymond Van Der Meer, DierenPark Amersfoort, EAZA Canid TAG Chair. Dr. Michael B. Briggs, DVM, MS, African Predator Conservation Research Organization, CEO/Principle Investigator. AZA Staff Editors: Katie Zdilla, B.A. AZA Conservation and Science Intern Elisa Caballero, B.A. AZA Conservation and Science Intern Candice Dorsey, Ph.D. AZA Director, Animal Conservation Large Canid Care Manual project consultant: Joseph C.E. Barber, Ph.D. Cover Photo Credits: Brad McPhee, red wolf Bert Buxbaum, African wild dog and Mexican gray wolf Lisa Ware, maned wolf Disclaimer: This manual presents a compilation of knowledge provided by recognized animal experts based on the current science, practice, and technology of animal management.
    [Show full text]
  • The Australian Dingo: Untamed Or Feral? J
    Ballard and Wilson Frontiers in Zoology (2019) 16:2 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12983-019-0300-6 DEBATE Open Access The Australian dingo: untamed or feral? J. William O. Ballard1* and Laura A. B. Wilson2 Abstract Background: The Australian dingo continues to cause debate amongst Aboriginal people, pastoralists, scientists and the government in Australia. A lingering controversy is whether the dingo has been tamed and has now reverted to its ancestral wild state or whether its ancestors were domesticated and it now resides on the continent as a feral dog. The goal of this article is to place the discussion onto a theoretical framework, highlight what is currently known about dingo origins and taxonomy and then make a series of experimentally testable organismal, cellular and biochemical predictions that we propose can focus future research. Discussion: We consider a canid that has been unconsciously selected as a tamed animal and the endpoint of methodical or what we now call artificial selection as a domesticated animal. We consider wild animals that were formerly tamed as untamed and those wild animals that were formerly domesticated as feralized. Untamed canids are predicted to be marked by a signature of unconscious selection whereas feral animals are hypothesized to be marked by signatures of both unconscious and artificial selection. First, we review the movement of dingo ancestors into Australia. We then discuss how differences between taming and domestication may influence the organismal traits of skull morphometrics, brain and size, seasonal breeding, and sociability. Finally, we consider cellular and molecular level traits including hypotheses concerning the phylogenetic position of dingoes, metabolic genes that appear to be under positive selection and the potential for micronutrient compensation by the gut microbiome.
    [Show full text]
  • Reintroduction of Tasmanian Devils to Mainland Australia Can Restore Top-Down Control in Ecosystems Where Dingoes Have Been Extirpated
    Biological Conservation 191 (2015) 428–435 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Biological Conservation journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/bioc Reintroduction of Tasmanian devils to mainland Australia can restore top-down control in ecosystems where dingoes have been extirpated Daniel O. Hunter a,⁎,ThomasBritzb, Menna Jones c,MikeLetnica a Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Sydney, Australia b School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Sydney, Australia c Department of Zoology, University of Tasmania, Tasmania 7001, Hobart, Australia article info abstract Article history: Restoring missing ecological interactions by reintroducing locally extinct species or ecological surrogates for ex- Received 16 February 2015 tinct species has been mooted as an approach to restore ecosystems. Australia's apex predator, the dingo, is sub- Received in revised form 21 July 2015 ject to culling in order to prevent attacks on livestock. Dingo culling has been linked to ecological cascades Accepted 24 July 2015 evidenced by irruptions of herbivores and introduced mesopredators and declines of small and medium sized Available online xxxx mammals. Maintenance of dingo populations is untenable for land-managers in many parts of Australia owing to their depredations on livestock. However, it may be possible to fill the apex predator niche with the Tasmanian Keywords: Rewilding devil which has less impact on livestock. Devils once occurred throughout Australia, but became extinct from the Trophic cascades mainland about 3000 years ago, but are now threatened by a disease epidemic in Tasmania. To explore the fea- Predator diversity sibility of reintroducing devils to mainland Australia we used species distribution models (SDMs) to determine Tasmanian devils if suitable climatic conditions for devils exist and fuzzy cognitive mapping (FCM) to predict the effects of devil Dingoes reintroduction.
    [Show full text]
  • Dingo Dog Control Caniscanis Familiaris Familiaris Dingo
    Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Biosecurity Queensland Restricted invasive animal WildDingo dog control CanisCanis familiaris familiaris dingo The dingo is a primitive canid related to wolves and Since European settlement domestic dogs have been coyote. The dingo was not a part of the ancestral fauna of released or escaped into the environment to cross with Australia. Though its origins are not clear, it is thought to dingoes. These hybrids or crosses are colloquially call have arrived in Australia 3500–4000 years ago. wild dogs (Canis lupus familiaris). Often the term wild dog covers both dingoes and dingo hybrids. It is the largest mammalian carnivore remaining in mainland Australia, and as such fills an important ecological niche. Wild dogs predate on livestock, native fauna and Females weigh about 12 kg and males 15 kg. domestic pets. The dingo has been regarded as a serious predator of domestic stock since early European settlement in Australia. Legal requirements female will kill all pups of the other females, and then use subordinate females to suckle and rear her litter. The dingo is a category 3, 4, 5 and 6 restricted invasive animal under the Biosecurity Act 2014. It must not be Methods of spread moved, kept, fed, given away, sold, or released into the environment. A permit to deal with dingoes maybe given Dingoes in an undisturbed area generally belong to in limited circumstances. discrete packs (3–12 members), which occupy long-term, non-overlapping territories. The group rarely moves The Act requires everyone to take all reasonable and as a pack—rather, members meet and separate again practical measures to minimise the biosecurity risks throughout the day.
    [Show full text]
  • Animal Care Day – Dog Vs Dingo
    Animal Care Day – Dog vs Dingo Wait…They’re Not the Same as Dogs? Animal Care Day is on July 1st, join the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo to celebrate our zookeeper’s hard work to make sure that the dingoes receive what they need to live long, healthy lives! This activity encourages families to learn about how dogs and dingoes may look a lot alike, but they are different animals. Did you know that they are one of the largest carnivores in Australia?! See below for a variety of questions to engage your kids even further: What are some differences you notice between a dog and dingo? How does dingoes and dogs look alike? Are dingoes more likely to bark or howl? Are dingo or dog a wild animal or can they be pets? How long can a dingo live in the wild? How long can dogs live? Where do you think dingoes and dogs live? What does their habitat look like? When are they most active and why? Can dingoes live in packs or do they only live alone? What about dogs? Cut out the pieces or have kids write down the differences and similarities between a dingo and a golden retriever in the Venn Diagram. As your child is completing the worksheet, share some fantastic information about the dingoes provided below. For an extra challenge, have your child compare dingo with a different dog breed! Be on the lookout for the dingoes and observe their behaviors at the zoo! Share your lessons with the Fort Wayne Children’ Zoo.
    [Show full text]
  • Dingoes/Wild Dogs and Red Foxes in South-Eastern Australia
    Interspecific and geographic variation in the diets of sympatric carnivores: dingoes/wild dogs and red foxes in south-eastern Australia Citation: Davis, Naomi E., Forsyth, David M., Triggs, Barbara, Pascoe, Charlie, Benshemesh, Joe, Robley, Alan, Lawrence, Jenny, Ritchie, Euan G., Nimmo, Dale G. and Lumsden, Lindy F. 2015, Interspecific and geographic variation in the diets of sympatric carnivores: dingoes/wild dogs and red foxes in south-eastern Australia, PLoS one, vol. 10, no. 3, Article number: e0120975, pp. 1-28. DOI: http://www.dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120975 ©2015, The Authors Reproduced by Deakin University under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence Downloaded from DRO: http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30076718 DRO Deakin Research Online, Deakin University’s Research Repository Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B RESEARCH ARTICLE Interspecific and Geographic Variation in the Diets of Sympatric Carnivores: Dingoes/Wild Dogs and Red Foxes in South-Eastern Australia Naomi E. Davis1☯*, David M. Forsyth1,2☯, Barbara Triggs3☯, Charlie Pascoe4‡, Joe Benshemesh5‡, Alan Robley2‡, Jenny Lawrence6‡, Euan G. Ritchie7‡, Dale G. Nimmo7‡, Lindy F. Lumsden2‡ 1 School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia, 3 'Dead Finish', Genoa, Victoria, Australia, 4 Parks Victoria, Bright, Victoria, Australia, 5 La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 Parks Victoria, Heyfield, Victoria, Australia, 7 Centre for Integrative Ecology and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria, Australia ☯ These authors contributed equally to this work. ‡ These authors also contributed equally to this work.
    [Show full text]
  • (Canis Lupus Dingo) on Risk Sensitive Foraging of Small Mammals in Forest Ecosystems Amanda Lu SIT Study Abroad
    SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad SIT Digital Collections Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection SIT Study Abroad Fall 2011 Presence of the Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) on Risk Sensitive Foraging of Small Mammals in Forest Ecosystems Amanda Lu SIT Study Abroad Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Environmental Policy Commons Recommended Citation Lu, Amanda, "Presence of the Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) on Risk Sensitive Foraging of Small Mammals in Forest Ecosystems" (2011). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 1130. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/1130 This Unpublished Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the SIT Study Abroad at SIT Digital Collections. It has been accepted for inclusion in Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection by an authorized administrator of SIT Digital Collections. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Presence of the dingo (Canis lupus dingo) on risk sensitive foraging of small mammals in forest ecosystems Amanda Lu Project Advisor: Mike Letnic, Ph.D. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, University of Western Sydney Sydney, Australia Academic Director: Tony Cummings Home Institution: Harvard University Major: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Australia: Rainforest, Reef, and Cultural Ecology, SIT Study Abroad, Fall 2011 1 Abstract Trophic regulation of mesopredators through top order predators can have profound effects on ecosystem community and diversity. In the absence of top predators, invasive mesopredators exert strong selective pressures on native prey and can alter prey foraging behavior. When foraging in the presence of predators, prey must weigh predation risk against food gain.
    [Show full text]