Decline Of Carnivores Essay

TOPIC: Why is a decline of large carnivores important?

- The roles of large carnivores in the ecosystems
They make population of herbivores smaller and thus preserve balance of plants and they also turn grass lands into tundra. They disrupt natural balance of other animals and their natural habitat. That why humans kill them

- Positive and negative impacts on the presence and the absence of large carnivores, respectively
Positive impact on the presence is that they keep plants balance by killing herbivores and also kill other carnivores.
Positive impact on the absence is that they will not disrupt natural balance of other animals and their natural habitats.

- Causes of declines of large carnivores
Human action causes decline of large carnivores habitat loss, loss of
A study in Science magazine published today has found that three-fourths of the largest carnivores on Earth — a group that includes lions, tigers, bears and wolves — are in decline, with most of them officially recognized as threatened. A majority have lost greater than half of their historic geographical range.
The lead author on the study, “Status and Ecological Effects of the World’s Largest Carnivores,” is Oregon State University forest ecology professor William Ripple.
A dozen scientists from the United States, Australia, Italy and Sweden spent two years synthesizing studies in order to document all of the earth’s carnivores (minus a few big sea-going mammals) that weigh greater, on average, than 33 pounds.
The problem is not just the loss of species, but the degradation of the ecosystem after they’re gone, the scientists concluded.
“What’s ironic is we’re just beginning to find out what (the carnivores’) ecological effect and benefits provide as they’re declining,” Ripple said