Human Predators Outpace Other Agents of Trait Change in the Wild

• Published in: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 106; no. 3; pp. 952 - 954
• Main Authors: Darimont, Chris T., Carlson, Stephanie M., Kinnison, Michael T., Paquet, Paul C., Reimchen, Thomas E., Wilmers, Christopher C., Daily, Gretchen C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Academy of Sciences 20.01.2009; National Acad Sciences
• Subjects: adults; Animals; Biological Evolution; Biological Sciences; Crop harvesting; Ecological genetics; Ecological life histories; Ecosystem; ecosystems; Evolution; Evolutionary biology; Fish harvest; Genotype & phenotype; harvesters; Human Activities; Humans; hunters; industry; Life history; natural selection; Organisms; Phenotype; Phenotypic traits; Population characteristics; Population dynamics; Population ecology; Predation; Predators

The observable traits of wild populations are continually shaped and reshaped by the environment and numerous agents of natural selection, including predators. In stark contrast with most predators, humans now typically exploit high proportions of prey populations and target large, reproductive-aged...