The DOI matches its Crossref record; 45 of the 45 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Wolves–coyotes–foxes: a cascade among carnivores
Abstract
Due to the widespread eradication of large canids and felids, top predators in many terrestrial ecosystems are now medium-sized carnivores such as coyotes. Coyotes have been shown to increase songbird and rodent abundance and diversity by suppressing populations of small carnivores such as domestic cats and foxes. The restoration of gray wolves to many parts of North America, however, could alter this interaction chain. Here we use a 30-year time series of wolf, coyote, and fox relative abundance from the state of Minnesota, USA, to show that wolves suppress coyote populations, which in turn releases foxes from top-down control by coyotes. In contrast to mesopredator release theory, which has often considered the consequence of top predator removal in a three-species interaction chain (e.g., coyote-fox-prey), the presence of the top predator releases the smaller predator in a four-species interaction chain. Thus, heavy predation by abundant small predators might be more similar to the historical ecosystem before top-predator extirpation. The restructuring of predator communities due to the loss or restoration of top predators is likely to alter the size spectrum of heavily consumed prey with important implications for biodiversity and human health.
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In the citing paper
“At a broader (regional) scale, inverse relationships between the densities of both wolves and coyotes (Berger & Gese 2007), and coyotes and foxes (Fedriani et al. 2000;Levi & Wilmers 2012) are supported by numerous accounts of spatial and temporal separation.”
From A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes (2015) · cites this paper as Levi & Wilmers 2012
In the citing paper
“This reflects the fact that coyotes and red foxes have similar habitat requirements (McDonald et al. 2008;Levi & Wilmers 2012).”
From A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes (2015) · cites this paper as Levi & Wilmers 2012
In the citing paper
“However, with respect to the first two factors, these apply equally to coyotes and red foxes because of their biological similarities (McDonald et al. 2008;Levi & Wilmers 2012).”
From A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes (2015) · cites this paper as Levi & Wilmers 2012
In the citing paper
“For example, at a smaller spatial scale than our analyses, Levi & Wilmers (2012) showed that as wolves suppress coyote populations, foxes are released from top-down control by coyotes.”
From A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes (2015) · cites this paper as Levi & Wilmers 2012
In the citing paper
“Our results therefore accord with those of Levi & Wilmers (2012) who demonstrated that bottom-up factors, land-use changes and habitat differences are insufficient to explain the pattern of spatial relationships between wolves, coyotes and foxes.”
From A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes (2015) · cites this paper as Levi & Wilmers 2012
In the citing paper
“if wolf populations expand and suppress coyotes, it is possible that a release of foxes will result in wolf-and fox-dominant prey being consumed (Levi & Wilmers 2012).”
From A continental scale trophic cascade from wolves through coyotes to foxes (2015) · cites this paper as Levi & Wilmers 2012
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Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Levi, T., & Wilmers, C. C.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Santa Cruz (US)
- Corresponding author
- Levi, Taal
- Venue
- Ecology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2012-04
- Volume
- 93
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 921-929
- ISSN
- 0012-9658 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-9170
- OpenAlex
- W2072484216
- Cited by
- 293
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 7.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Ecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Keywords
- gray wolves, coyote, red fox, mesopredator release, top-down control, predator-prey interactions, Minnesota
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Feeding Behavior, Foxes, Minnesota, Population Dynamics, Seasons, Wolves, Food Chain, Coyotes
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