What question did this study set out to answer?

To synthesize evidence on how predators drive ecosystem nutrient cycling and influence landscape-scale nutrient distributions beyond direct prey population control.

June 29, 2010Ecology Letters

Predator control of ecosystem nutrient dynamics

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To synthesize evidence on how predators drive ecosystem nutrient cycling and influence landscape-scale nutrient distributions beyond direct prey population control.
Synthesized ecological evidence examining direct and indirect pathways of predator-mediated nutrient dynamics across ecosystems.
Evaluated physiological mechanisms, including excretion and egestion, alongside behavioral interactions and cross-boundary nutrient translocation.
Predator effects on nutrient cycling operate ubiquitously through direct excretion, egestion, and nutrient translocation across ecosystem boundaries.
Predator-prey behavioral interactions indirectly dictate whether nutrient distributions across landscapes become heterogeneous or homogeneous.
Disproportionate vulnerability of predators to extirpation threatens fundamental ecosystem life-support services that rely on active biological nutrient transport.

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Implication

Review reveals ubiquitous predator regulation of nutrient cycling across landscapes, indicating substantial ecological risks from top carnivore loss.

Cite This Study

Schmitz et al. (2010) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69eee53761d64fe2ddd72607 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01511.x

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Implication

Review reveals ubiquitous predator regulation of nutrient cycling across landscapes, indicating substantial ecological risks from top carnivore loss.

Predator control of ecosystem nutrient dynamics

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Predator control of ecosystem nutrient dynamics

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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