The crucial role of scavengers in ecosystem health

Abstract

The crucial role of scavengers in ecosystem health Animal scavengers’ role in maintaining ecosystem balance is often overlooked. Dr Laurel Lynch from the University of Idaho tells us about her important research on how scavenging by Tasmanian devils influences ecosystem processes. Declines in biodiversity threaten the function of ecosystems worldwide. Species populations have declined by ~68% globally since 1970, and humans and their livestock now account for ~97% of Earth’s biomass. Declines of top predators and scavengers are of particular concern because their loss can have devastating impacts on ecological and economic services, including secondary declines of other species, increases in disease spread, and changes in nutrient cycling that can affect food production. However, more research is needed to understand how the complex interactions among species and their environment produce the balanced, well-functioning ecosystems upon which humans depend.