Predation services: quantifying societal effects of predators and their prey. Issue 5 (31st March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gilbert, Sophie; Carter, Neil; Naidoo, Robin
• Is Part Of: Frontiers in ecology and the environment. Volume 19:Issue 5(2021)
• Page Start: 292
• Page End: 299
• Publication Date: 2021-03-31
• Subjects: Ecology -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Ecology; Environmental sciences; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 577.05
• DOI: 10.1002/fee.2336
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1540-9295

Abstract

Abstract : Conservation of predators – especially large carnivores and those that potentially pose threats to humans – can be controversial among stakeholders who must coexist with them. What is often overlooked, however, are the direct and indirect ecosystem services and disservices predators provide as a result of consumption of herbivores ("predation services"). We used a theoretical predator–prey–economic model to examine when predators are likely to provide a net service to society, by comparing services/disservices to a predator‐free counterfactual scenario. We found that net predator services were strongly dependent on how per‐capita services and disservices of predators and prey changed with abundance (ie assumed marginal value [MV] functions of service/disservice). We suggest that further empirical research is needed into MVs of services/disservices of wildlife, because transferring net services among locations – a common practice – is problematic unless MV functions are known. Rigorously quantifying services/disservices of predators could improve conservation and management outcomes by increasing effective communication to diverse stakeholders.