Globe Willow Tree

Decline Of Large Predators Threatens Global Ecosystem

Posted on: Friday, 15 July 2011, 07:40 CDT

The worldwide decline of top predators, or “consumers”, such as wolves, sharks and lions, is threatening to drive other species to extinction, an international team of 24 scientists reported on Thursday.

The research shows for the first time the critical importance that large animals have within the world’s ecosystem.

“Until recently, large apex consumers were ubiquitous across the globe and had been for millions of years. The loss of these animals may be humankind’s most pervasive influence on nature,” the scientists said.

The decline of such species is much greater than previously understood, and now affects many other ecological processes through what scientists call "trophic cascades," in which the loss of "top down" predation severely disrupts many other plant and animal species.

“Although such losses are widely viewed as an ethical and aesthetic problem, recent research reveals extensive cascading effects of their disappearance in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems worldwide.”

Indeed, such disruption is sufficiently severe that it now affects everything from habitat loss to pollution, carbon sequestration, wildfire, climate, invasive species and spread of disease, the scientists said.

It is also a driving force in the sixth mass extinction in Earth history, which the researchers said is now under way.

"We now have overwhelming evidence that large predators are hugely important in the function of nature, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains, the tropics to the Arctic," said William Ripple, a professor of forestry at Oregon State University, co-author of the report and an international leader in this field of study as director of OSU's Trophic Cascades Program.

"In a broad view, the collapse of these ecosystems has reached a point where this doesn't just affect wolves or aspen trees, deforestation or soil or water," he said.

"These predators and processes ultimately protect humans. This isn't just about them, it's about us."

Historically, there has been little consideration of how large predators affected so many other species, the researchers said.  Indeed, such processes were typically studied one plant or animal at a time in a small area, failing to consider the larger disruption under way.

Treehouse Fort | * GRACE *

A new wooden playset has been on my husband’s vision board for a month or so, and we weren’t sure how we would get one in our current situation. He never gave up on the idea even when I was struggling with believing that it would happen anytime soon. I’m very happy to report that it came off of his vision board this weekend!

The background story…Unfortunately our next door neighbors, Amanda and Ben, are moving. We’re all sad about it, and yet excited for them and their new adventure. Our children all get along and love playing with each other. We’re praying for good neighbors because they’ve been fabulous ones. (If anyone’s interested in living next door to me, let me know and I’ll set you up! You’d have awesome neighbors on both sides!)

These wonderful neighbors made a treehouse platform in their globe willow tree a few months ago. I think my kids played in it more than their children. When they decided to move a few weeks ago, she offered to sell the treehouse to our family. My kids were all outside when she and I were talking about it, and they couldn’t have been more excited! They were so excited that they pulled their resources together and paid for 80% of the cost–all while my neighbor and I were still talking. I was quite surprised and grateful at the same time. I didn’t think we should spend the money. Then they came through with almost all of it, and we found a way to pay for the rest.

We knew that Independence Day weekend wasn’t going to work to move the treehouse, so David decided on the following weekend. He called Blue Stakes to make sure we weren’t digging into a power line. Then on Friday, David picked up the supplies he’d need and he began mapping out the area. He dug the four holes he needed. Our neighbor, Ben, raised the platform on some load locks and another support so we could use the same support posts in our holes. David and Ben then put the poles in the holes and squared them up. David was up until midnight pouring cement.

I wasn’t much help due to my feeling light-headed all day. My kids all wanted to help though, and to some extent they did whether it was holding a post, getting a screw, or staying in the house. I think all of them were finally in bed by 10:30 that night.

The cement was set enough by Saturday morning, and David got up and called some neighbors to come and help move the platform over the fence and up onto the support posts. Gratefully, there were seven strong men handling the situation, and everyone worked well together and accomplished the job. We’re so blessed to have such wonderful people in ward! (Another shameless plug for moving into my neighborhood!

The Globe readers (ed. by A.F. Murison). Primer 1,2

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Like the Willow Tree

Best plants for New Mexico gardens and landscapes, keyed to cities and regions in New Mexico and adjacent areas

Like The Willow Tree - Library Edition