Drent, Jarco (2023) The effects of wolves on mesopredators in west-europe. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.
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Abstract
The wolf is returning to Western Europe as an apex predator, which can have large consequences for mesopredators. All mesopredators are part of a food web together with other organisms. Changes in these food webs can cause trophic cascades, which could bring down an ecosystem. Here we provide a review of multiple studies looking at trophic cascades and interactions between apex predators and mesopredators. Apex predators can suppress mesopredators through lethal interactions and behavioural change, which can limit their abundance and distribution. With apex predators increasing in numbers, they could potentially outcompete smaller mesopredators. This depends on the complexity of the ecosystem, from productivity to habitat complexity. With this review, better insights are given into the possible effects of the wolf on multiple mesopredators present in Western Europe.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Smit, C. |
| Degree programme: | Biology |
| Thesis type: | Bachelor's Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Jul 2023 07:44 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Jul 2023 07:44 |
| URI: | https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/30635 |
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