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Trophic Cascades & the Balance of Nature Steve Hall Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center

Dire Wolf by Mark Hallett. Trophic Cascades & the Balance of Nature Steve Hall Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center www.AdirondackWildlife.org 977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington, NY. What we do at ADK Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center: Rehab Injured Wildlife.

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Trophic Cascades & the Balance of Nature Steve Hall Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center

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  1. Dire Wolf by Mark Hallett Trophic Cascades & the Balance of Nature Steve Hall Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center www.AdirondackWildlife.org 977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington, NY

  2. What we do at ADK Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center:Rehab Injured Wildlife Need Licenses from US Fish & Wildlife & NY DEC! Work with veterinarians & volunteers Want to help? Be Prepared Throw a blanket & box in the car Never touch raccoon, fox or bat www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  3. What we do at ADK Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center:Education with Non-Releasable Wildlife Need License from US Fish & Wildlife www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  4. Friends & Volunteers www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  5. Zeebie – July 2009 www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  6. Cree & Zeebie www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  7. Cree & Zeebie www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  8. Cree & Zeebie www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  9. How Do Species Change over Time? • No Species evolves in a vacuum • Nature helps and hinders Species Survival • Natural Selection & Mutations choose breeders • Top-Down Predation controls most prey • The “arms race” • Predators & Prey species change over time • Prey switching has cascading effects The Pleistocene Invasion across Beringia Gray Wolf by Jesse Gigandet Dire Wolf by Mark Hallett www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  10. TrophicCascades & BioDiversity: In Nature, Everything is Connected! http://www.lausd.k12.ca.us/Figueroa_EL/lifescience4.htm

  11. Trophic Cascades “So, Nat’ralists observe, a Flea Hath smaller Fleas that on him prey, And these have smaller yet to bite ‘em, And so proceed ad infinitum.” Jonathan Swift • Circle of Life • Plants eat air, water & sunshine • Herbivores eat plants • Carnivores eat herbivores • Carrying Capacity • “One hill cannot shelter two tigers” • Charles Elton, Spitzenberg, 1927, “Animal Ecology” • Diatoms- fish – seabirds - Arctic fox – polar bears “Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  12. Star Fish and Mussles • Prof. Robert Paine, Mukkaw Bay, Olympic Peninsula, 1963 • Pisaster Starfish • Mytilus californianus – mussle • Removal of predacious starfish results in explosion of their prey Steve Hall Pacific Rim Nat’l Park ‘98 Alex with Kelp Steve Hall Pacific Rim Nat’l Park ‘98 “Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  13. Sea Otters and Kelp Beds James Estes • Kelp Beds are Critical Marine Habitat • Preyed upon by Sea Urchins • Sea Otters are Apex Predators • Sea Otters are Keystone Predators • Otter control the sea urchins Kamchitka, Aleutian Islands, 1960s to late 90s Steve Hall, Seward 2012 “Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  14. Killer Whales & Sea Otters • 1950s expansion of Bering Sea whaling by Russia & Japan • Killer Whales switch from whales to seals & sea lions • Alaskan Fisheries reduced by fishing trawlers & temp changes • Fish eating Harbor seals, fur seals & sea lions decline • Killer Whales switch from seals to sea otters • Kelp beds again endangered by sea urchins Steve Hall, Seward 2012 Steve Hall, Johnstone Strait, Vancouver Island, 1996 “Where the Wild Things Were”, William Stolzenburg www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  15. Wolves as Keystone Predators Alex Hall www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  16. Wolves • Keystone Predators • Control ungulates • Control other predators • Family Oriented • Self Regulating • Based on number of prey species & disease • Lead Short & Dangerous Lives • Harmless to People • Potentially Dangerous tolivestock and pets • Often Misrepresented in media • All dogs are canis lupus familiaris Zeebie www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  17. Wolves are Territorial & Nomadic • Territory sizes range from 200 to 2,000 square miles • Territory Size determined By: • How many mouths to feed? • How much & what types prey available? • Presence of other wolf packs defending surrounding territories restricts expansion of territory. • Buffer zones • Territory Marking • Howling as indication of location & strength www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  18. What animals do Wolves prey on? • Old, Lame, Infirm & Young • Herbivorous Ungulates – Hoofed Mammals • Deer & elk • Moose • Bison • Caribou • Musk ox • Livestock • Smaller mammals • Beaver • Hare • Rodents www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  19. Keystone Predators & Trophic Cascades:Wolf Reintroduction to Yellowstone National Park1995-96 • Predators instill the ecology of fear • Apex Predators control prey animals • Keystone Predators Alter Their Environment • Reduce 20k elk to 10k, eliminate meso predators & intimidate large predators • 100 Wolves preying on 10,000 elk • Culled half the over-browsing elk • How did the presence of Wolves benefit trout, beaver & pronghorn? • Wolves suffering from distemper, parvo, mange and inter-pack fighting http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/03/wolf-wars/chadwick-text www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  20. Major causes of Wolf mortality? • Starvation • Caught Trespassing in other pack’s territory • Territory Invaded by other pack • Killed by Intended prey • Disease • Hunting by humans • Aerial hunting • Trapping • Poisoning • Inbreeding www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  21. Factors needed to ensure Ecosystem survival:Cores, Corridors & Carnivores • Inaccessible wilderness • Wildlife Corridors • Understanding & Appreciating the Role of Predators in nature • Compassion • Appreciation of Tourism Effect www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  22. What Happens to Herbivores & Plants when you Remove Predators? • Herbivores afflicted with infectious, contagious diseases are not removed by predators. • CWD- Chronic Wasting Disease • EHD- Epizootic hemorrhagic disease • Larger number of herbivores over-browse target vegetation & enable spread of invasives. • Favor browsing native species • Learn to browse invasive species, & end up spreading seeds around. • Over-browsing can lead to prey collapse Garlic mustard Common Reed Grass Japanese Knotwood Purple Loosestrife www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  23. Short Eared Owls • Apex Predator • Control voles and other rodents • Winter in Washington County Grasslands Important Bird Area • Ground Nester • Endangered species in NY www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  24. Kestrel • Smallest Falcon • Apex Predator • Control small rodents and large insects • Open Field Habitat • Farmer’s Friend • Cavity Nester • Threatened species in NY www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  25. Family Album www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  26. Cree Puppy Shots www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  27. Cree at 6 months www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  28. Cree at 6 months www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  29. Cree at 2 years www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  30. Cree at 6 years www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  31. Zeebie at 10 months www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  32. Zeebie at 16 months www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  33. Cree & Zeebie with Alex Say Goodnight Boys! www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  34. Other Mammals at the Refuge Bobcat & Red Fox www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  35. “Pippin”Red Fox • Most widely dispersed mammalian carnivore • Multi-Terrain Adaptable • Numbers controlled by wolf & coyote • Predators: bobcat, fisher & great horned owl • Omnivorous Diet include invertebrates, small mammals, birds & fruit • Food caches feed other animals • Great sense of hearing & smell • Ambush hunter • Controls rodents & Chickens! • “Dog Foxes” & “Vixens” • Solitary save for mating & rearing season • 8 to 10 pups in litter www.AdirondackWildlife.org

  36. Thank You! Adirondack Wildlife Refuge & Rehab Center www.AdirondackWildlife.org 977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington, NY 12997 1-855-Wolf-Man

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