Wolves trigger a trophic cascade to berries as alternative food for grizzly bears.
This is a Forum article in response to: Barber-Meyer, S. (2015) Trophic cascades from wolves to grizzly bears or changing abundance of bears and alternate foods? Journal of Animal Ecology, 83, doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.12338. We used multiple data sets and study areas as well as several lines of evidence to investigate potential trophic linkages in Yellowstone National Park. Our results suggest that a trophic cascade from wolves to elk to berry production to berry consumption by grizzly bears may now be underway in the Park.
Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
William J
WJ
Ripple
Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA.
Robert L
RL
Beschta
School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
Jennifer K
JK
Fortin
School of the Environment and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA.
Charles T
CT
Robbins
D000818:Animals; D017753:Ecosystem; D001503:Ursidae / Q000502:physiology*; D019596:Wolves / Q000502:physiology*
Yellowstone; elk; fruit; grey wolves; grizzly bears; serviceberry; trophic cascades