In ecosystems, species depend on each other for survival. Herbivores depend on certain plants to reproduce for them to eat and survive each year. These same plants count on carnivores to kill herbivores, so that the plants do not become endangered due to overgrazing. The carnivores also depend on the plants to reproduce so there are more herbivores to eat. So what would happen if one of these important factors were removed from an ecosystem? According to Ripple, Beschta, Fortin and Robbins, in the early 1900s the gray wolf population in Yellowstone National Park was extinct and had a big impact on the ecosystem there (p. 224). The gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park, when present, feed on elk as their primary source of food (Ripple et
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Starting in 1995 gray wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park (Ripple et al. 2013). Elk are still the primary food source of the gray wolves and grizzly bears kill elk calves and eat carcasses of other ungulates killed by the gray wolves (Ripple et al. 2013). The reintroduction of the gray wolves helped control the elk population and allowed the plants to grow more berries for the grizzly bear population to eat. After the reintroduction of the gray wolves, the amount of fruit in the grizzly bears diet increased by almost double the amount then when the gray wolves were extinct (Ripple et al. 2013). In addition, the reintroduction of the gray wolves allowed beavers and bison in the park to have higher population because there was less elk eating their food (Ripple et al. 2013). The reintroduction of the gray wolves has helped the grizzly bear population and even removed the grizzly bears from the endangered species act in Yellowstone National Park (Ripple et al. 2013).
However, not everyone sees the gray wolf reintroduction as a good thing. Switalski (2003) says that coyotes use to live on Isle Royale, but eight years after their colonization, they were gone from the island and that gray wolves were the reason they were gone. Switalski (2003) also states that even though gray wolves normally do not attack coyotes, …show more content…
However before the gray wolves were reintroduced, researches in North America rarely saw wolf-coyote interactions (Switalski, 2003). This is causing the population of coyotes to become limited. Switalski (2003) claims that since 1995 when gray wolves were reintroduced into the park coyote population numbers have decreased by 25-33%. Also, since the gray wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park, the coyote are hunting less small mammals and feeding more on bigger carcasses of animals killed by the wolves (Switalski, 2003). This is causing the population of ground squirrels to increase dramatically. However, this might increase food for badgers, weasels and foxes (Switalski, 2003).
The wolves are also forcing the coyotes to change the way they live. Coyotes rested more, and hunted less, before gray wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park (Switalski, 2003). Coyotes living in Montana are also changing their habits. Coyotes in northwest Montana adapted to become nocturnal to avoid gray wolves (Switalski,
Starting in 1995 gray wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park (Ripple et al. 2013). Elk are still the primary food source of the gray wolves and grizzly bears kill elk calves and eat carcasses of other ungulates killed by the gray wolves (Ripple et al. 2013). The reintroduction of the gray wolves helped control the elk population and allowed the plants to grow more berries for the grizzly bear population to eat. After the reintroduction of the gray wolves, the amount of fruit in the grizzly bears diet increased by almost double the amount then when the gray wolves were extinct (Ripple et al. 2013). In addition, the reintroduction of the gray wolves allowed beavers and bison in the park to have higher population because there was less elk eating their food (Ripple et al. 2013). The reintroduction of the gray wolves has helped the grizzly bear population and even removed the grizzly bears from the endangered species act in Yellowstone National Park (Ripple et al. 2013).
However, not everyone sees the gray wolf reintroduction as a good thing. Switalski (2003) says that coyotes use to live on Isle Royale, but eight years after their colonization, they were gone from the island and that gray wolves were the reason they were gone. Switalski (2003) also states that even though gray wolves normally do not attack coyotes, …show more content…
However before the gray wolves were reintroduced, researches in North America rarely saw wolf-coyote interactions (Switalski, 2003). This is causing the population of coyotes to become limited. Switalski (2003) claims that since 1995 when gray wolves were reintroduced into the park coyote population numbers have decreased by 25-33%. Also, since the gray wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park, the coyote are hunting less small mammals and feeding more on bigger carcasses of animals killed by the wolves (Switalski, 2003). This is causing the population of ground squirrels to increase dramatically. However, this might increase food for badgers, weasels and foxes (Switalski, 2003).
The wolves are also forcing the coyotes to change the way they live. Coyotes rested more, and hunted less, before gray wolf reintroduction in Yellowstone National Park (Switalski, 2003). Coyotes living in Montana are also changing their habits. Coyotes in northwest Montana adapted to become nocturnal to avoid gray wolves (Switalski,