Hyperpredation

Hyperpredation has been recorded in an ecosystem involving a bird (native prey), a cat (alien predator), and a rabbit (alien prey)

Hyperpredation is a response to new prey by a generalist predator who increases its predation pressure. Predators that lost more energy hunting certain prey than what they gained through feeding have gone extinct in extreme cases. Introduced Eastern cottontails cause an apparent competition with the European hare, as a result this along with the red fox being their main predator causes hyperpredation.

Examples

After the invasion of feral pigs, golden eagles began preying heavily on the alien species. Another prey on the islands, the Island fox, nearly went locally extinct due to the predation pressure from the golden eagles. These incidents happened in the California Channel Islands.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Bate, Andrew M.; Hilker, Frank M. (2012-03-21). "Rabbits protecting birds: Hypopredation and limitations of hyperpredation". Journal of Theoretical Biology. 297: 103–115. doi:10.1016/j.jtbi.2011.12.005. ISSN 0022-5193.
  2. ↑ Balestrieri, Alessandro; Remonti, Luigi; Prigioni, Claudio (2006-03-10). "Local feeding specialization of the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) in response to eastern cottontail ( Sylvilagus floridanus ) introduction (NW Italy)". Hystrix: The Italian Journal of Mammalogy. 16 (2). doi:10.4404/hystrix-16.2-4349. ISSN 0394-1914.
  3. ↑ Roemer, Gary W.; Coonan, Timothy J.; Garcelon, David K.; Bascompte, Jordi; Laughrin, Lyndal (November 2001). "Feral pigs facilitate hyperpredation by golden eagles and indirectly cause the decline of the island fox". Animal Conservation Forum. 4 (4): 307–318. Bibcode:2001AnCon...4..307R. doi:10.1017/S1367943001001366. hdl:10261/41728. ISSN 1469-1795. S2CID 55719636.