Wolves, Moose, and Tree Rings on Isle Royale
Abstract
Investigation of tree growth in Isle Royale National Park in Michigan revealed the influence of herbivores and carnivores on plants in an intimately linked food chain. Plant growth rates were regulated by cycles in animal density and responded to annual changes in primary productivity only when released from herbivory by wolf predation. Isle Royale's dendrochronology complements a rich literature on food chain control in aquatic systems, which often supports a trophic cascade model. This study provides evidence of top-down control in a forested ecosystem.
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This series of events constitutes the first terrestrial trophic cascade documented in a large terrestrial ecosystem.
“This series of events constitutes the first terrestrial trophic cascade to be documented in a large terrestrial ecosystem (McLaren & Peterson 1994).”
From Trophic Cascades in a Multicausal World: Isle Royale and Yellowstone (2014) · cites this paper as McLaren & Peterson 1994
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“And, of all studies of large carnivore effects on ecosystems, the most comprehensive insights arguably come from the analysis of gray wolf- induced trophic cascades (mcLaren and Peterson 1994, Hebblewhite et al. 2005, Ripple et al. 2014).”
Background
- Authors
- McLaren, B. E., & Peterson, R. O.
- Affiliations
- Michigan Technological University (US)
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 1994-12-02
- Volume
- 266
- Issue
- 5190
- Pages
- 1555-1558
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2087168923
- Cited by
- 458
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 21 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 12.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Digital Commons - Michigan Tech (Michigan Technological University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Keywords
- Isle Royale, wolf, moose, tree growth, herbivory, carnivore predation, top-down control, trophic cascades, food chain, primary productivity, forests, predator-prey interactions
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