Human activities change marine ecosystems by altering predation risk
In ocean ecosystems, many of the changes in predation risk – both increases and decreases – are human‐induced. These changes are occurring at scales ranging from global to local and across variable temporal scales. Indirect, risk‐based effects of human activity are known to be important in structuri...
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Published in | Global change biology Vol. 22; no. 1; pp. 44 - 60 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
Blackwell Science
2016
Blackwell Publishing Ltd |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | In ocean ecosystems, many of the changes in predation risk – both increases and decreases – are human‐induced. These changes are occurring at scales ranging from global to local and across variable temporal scales. Indirect, risk‐based effects of human activity are known to be important in structuring some terrestrial ecosystems, but these impacts have largely been neglected in oceans. Here, we synthesize existing literature and data to explore multiple lines of evidence that collectively suggest diverse human activities are changing marine ecosystems, including carbon storage capacity, in myriad ways by altering predation risk. We provide novel, compelling evidence that at least one key human activity, overfishing, can lead to distinct, cascading risk effects in natural ecosystems whose magnitude exceeds that of presumed lethal effects and may account for previously unexplained findings. We further discuss the conservation implications of human‐caused indirect risk effects. Finally, we provide a predictive framework for when human alterations of risk in oceans should lead to cascading effects and outline a prospectus for future research. Given the speed and extent with which human activities are altering marine risk landscapes, it is crucial that conservation and management policy considers the indirect effects of these activities in order to increase the likelihood of success and avoid unfortunate surprises. |
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Bibliography: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13083 US National Science Foundation International Postdoctoral Fellowship Australian Research Council DECRA Fellowship Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation ark:/67375/WNG-5W02QH7D-8 PADI Foundation istex:5199BD61AFBDFC3A3950421A6E53D9A1C0C45A04 ArticleID:GCB13083 Table S1 Examples of human activities (or outcomes of human activities) that affect predation risk and resource needs/availability and resulting direction of change in net predation risk for prey. NSERC Canada National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship World Wildlife Fund's Kathryn S. Fuller Science for Nature Fund Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) David and Lucile Packard Foundation National Science Foundation ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-3 content type line 23 ObjectType-Review-2 ObjectType-Feature-2 |
ISSN: | 1354-1013 1365-2486 |
DOI: | 10.1111/gcb.13083 |