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147:, which are areas where a species' preferred environment is broken up by obstacles. Fragmented habitats can be caused by geological or human activity, and particularly affect larger animals that roam and hunt across large territories, such as apex predators. Fragmented habitats can drive these species to leave and find more suitable habitats.
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Additionally, in many fragmented habitats, apex predators have more encounters with humans, leaving them susceptible to harmful or deadly conflicts, sometimes resulting in eradication of the apex predator population entirely. Human development also promotes mesopredator outbreaks through increasing
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Typically, mesopredators are in competition with apex predators for food and other resources. Apex predators reduce mesopredator populations and change mesopredator behaviors and habitat choices by preying on and intimidating mesopredators. When apex predator populations decline, mesopredators can
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is a mesopredator in one ecosystem and an apex predator in another ecosystem, depending on the composition of that ecosystem. When new species are introduced into an ecosystem, the role of the mesopredator often changes; this can also happen if species are removed.
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species, with limited studies on non-mammal animal species. Additionally, it is not well understood how these dynamics may play out in ecosystems with many mesopredator and apex predator species.
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Prugh, Laura R.; Stoner, Chantal J.; Epps, Clinton W.; Bean, William T.; Ripple, William J.; Laliberte, Andrea S.; Brashares, Justin S. (2009-10-01). "The Rise of the
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Quintana, Itxaso; Cifuentes, Edgar F.; Dunnink, Jeffrey A.; Ariza, María; Martínez-Medina, Daniela; Fantacini, Felipe M.; Shrestha, Bibek R.; Richard, Freddie-Jeanne (2022-02-21).
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of an apex predator decrease, populations of mesopredators in the area often increase due to decreased competition and conflict with the apex predator. This is known as the
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access hunting and den areas once controlled by the apex predators, essentially assuming the role of an apex predator. However, mesopredators often occupy different
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than the former apex predator and will have different effects on the structure and stability of the ecosystem.
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The mesopredator release effect is not entirely understood. Most research has been conducted on
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or prey in a particular food web. Mesopredators typically prey on smaller animals.
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Ritchie, Euan G.; Johnson, Christopher N. (2009-09-01).
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access to resources such as pet food, trash, and crops.
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are common examples of mesopredators. Pictured is a
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344:"mesopredator release | ecology | Britannica"
226:"mesopredator release | ecology | Britannica"
187:Groom, Martha; Meffe, Gary (August 5, 2005).
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262:"Laikipia Plateau: What is a Mesopredator?"
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108:Mesopredator release hypothesis
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118:mesopredator release effect
102:Mesopredator release effect
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126:ecological communities
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260:Hodge, Anne-Marie.
145:fragmented habitats
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302:BioScience
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174:References
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68:omnivorous
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405:1461-0248
322:0006-3568
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162:See also
72:raccoons
60:food web
52:predator
40:cat food
24:Raccoons
484:Ecology
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80:coyotes
38:eating
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