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Megafauna and ecosystem function from the Pleistocene to the Anthropocene
Yadvinder Malhi1, Christopher E Doughty2, Mauro Galetti3
1Environmental Change Institute, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom OX1 3QY; yadvinder.malhi@ouce.ox.ac.uk.
Summary
Large animals like megafauna are declining, impacting ecosystems. Understanding these effects is crucial for conservation and restoring ecological functions.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Paleontology
Background:
- Megafauna (large herbivores and carnivores) have experienced significant declines and extinctions since the Late Pleistocene.
- Research has historically focused on the timing and causes of these extinctions, rather than their ecological consequences.
Observation:
- Recent scientific focus has shifted to understanding the impacts of megafauna loss on ecosystem functions.
- This review synthesizes findings on how megafauna influence physical and trophic structures, species composition, biogeochemistry, and climate.
Findings:
- Megafauna play a critical role in shaping ecosystem structure and function.
- Their decline has profound and widespread consequences for biosphere processes.
Implications:
- Understanding these consequences is vital for comprehending past and present biosphere changes.
- This knowledge provides a framework for scientifically informed megafauna restoration efforts.
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