title: HUMAN IMPACTS. The unique ecology of human predators.
abstract: Paradigms of sustainable exploitation focus on population dynamics of prey and yields to humanity but ignore the behavior of humans as predators. We compared patterns of predation by contemporary hunters and fishers with those of other predators that compete over shared prey (terrestrial mammals and marine fishes). Our global survey (2125 estimates of annual finite exploitation rate) revealed that humans kill adult prey, the reproductive capital of populations, at much higher median rates than other predators (up to 14 times higher), with particularly intense exploitation of terrestrial carnivores and fishes. Given this competitive dominance, impacts on predators, and other unique predatory behavior, we suggest that humans function as an unsustainable "super predator," which—unless additionally constrained by managers—will continue to alter ecological and evolutionary processes globally.
authors: Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Post Office Box 1700, Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada. Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Post Office Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 3Y3, Canada. Hakai Institute, Post Office Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia V0P 1H0, Canada. darimont@uvic.ca.
authors: Chris T
authors: CT
authors: Darimont
authors: Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Post Office Box 1700, Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada. Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Post Office Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 3Y3, Canada.
authors: Caroline H
authors: CH
authors: Fox
authors: Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Post Office Box 1700, Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada. Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Post Office Box 2429, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 3Y3, Canada. Hakai Institute, Post Office Box 309, Heriot Bay, British Columbia V0P 1H0, Canada.
authors: Heather M
authors: HM
authors: Bryan
authors: Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Post Office Box 3060, Station CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2, Canada.
authors: Thomas E
authors: TE
authors: Reimchen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004463:Ecology; D005399:Fishes; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000523:psychology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012098:Reproduction