Top Predators as Conservation Tools: Ecological Rationale, Assumptions, and Efficacy

By F. Sergio, T. Caro, Danielle Brown, B. Clucas, J. Hunter, James Ketchum, K. McHugh, F. Hiraldo. 2008

670 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Subfields: Ecological Modeling, Ecology, Nature and Landscape Conservation

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/d649678c4de2d34171bf079a1a5abeb00bcd864f

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Citations in the corpus

State of the world's raptors: Distributions, threats, and conservation recommendations (2018, background): “Their high trophic level and generally slow life history make raptors more sensitive to anthropogenic threats (Owens and Bennett, 2000; Sergio et al., 2008) and extinction (Bennett and Owens, 1997) than most other bird species.”
Global raptor research and conservation priorities: Tropical raptors fall prey to knowledge gaps (2019, background): “…indicators due to their high trophic level, often serve as umbrella or flagship species for conserva‐ tion programmes and serve as important cultural icons linking humans to the natural world (McClure et al., 2018; Sergio et al., 2008; Vazquez‐Martin, Cufí, Oliveras‐Ferraros, & Menendez, 2007).”
Predator interactions, mesopredator release and biodiversity conservation. (2009, background): “We do not consider the roles of apex predators as flagship species and ⁄ or biodiversity surrogates for conservation, because these issues are covered extensively elsewhere (Glen & Dickman 2005; Sergio et al. 2006, 2008; Cabeza et al. 2008).”
Holding up a mirror to the society: Children recognize exotic species much more than local ones (2013, background): “…use of flagship or umbrella species on conservation policies is controversial (Andelman and Fagan, 2000; Caro and O‘Doherty, 1999; Simberloff, 1998; Sergio et al., 2008), these species, at a global scale, have played an important role in raising environmental awareness and funds for conservation…”
Large predators limit herbivore densities in northern forest ecosystems (2012, positive): “Recent research suggests that conservation programs based on the presence of apex predators may lead to broader biodiversity benefits (Sergio et al. 2008).”
Roles of Raptors in a Changing World: From Flagships to Providers of Key Ecosystem Services (2016, background): “Thus, their consideration as “flagship species” allows that the protection and proper management of the territory inhabited by raptors also impact on a large amount but not all the species and habitats, thus optimising efforts and performance of the financial investment prioritised towards these top”
Conservation Challenges of Predator Recovery (2016, background): “Conservation efforts frequently focus on recovery of predators because they are charismatic and can affect communities in ways disproportionate to their biomass (Sergio et al. 2008).”
Effects of habitat degradation on the abundance, richness and diversity of raptors across Neotropical biomes (2009, background): “Species-specific responses toward habitat degradation could be largely variable, and context-dependent (Sergio et al., 2008), being profoundly affected by carrying capacity, food web complexity, prey refuges, and human action (Schmitz et al.”
Biogeography and conservation in Southeast Asia: how 2.7 million years of repeated environmental fluctuations affect today’s patterns and the future of the remaining refugial-phase biodiversity (2010, background): “The biogeography and ecology of large carnivores therefore merits our attention (Sergio et al. 2008).”
Marine top predators as climate and ecosystem sentinels (2019, background): “…of sentinel species, including (1) exhibiting clear responses to environmental variability or change (Sydeman et al. 2015; Fleming et al. 2016), (2) playing important roles in shaping marine food webs (Estes et al. 2016), and (3) indicating anthropogenic impacts on ecosystems (Sergio et al. 2008).”
Seven considerations about dingoes as biodiversity engineers: the socioecological niches of dogs in Australia (2012, background): “Sergio et al. (2008) likewise reported that apex predators can be associated with high biodiversity in a bottom-up manner, greatly cautioning the use of top predators as biodiversity conservation tools.”
Edge effects and the impact of non‐protected areas in carnivore conservation: leopards in the Phinda–Mkhuze Complex, South Africa (2010, background): “Relatively resilient, large carnivores such as leopards can act as surrogates for conservation outcomes that benefit other species (Sergio et al., 2008).”