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Review
. 2019 Apr;34(4):369-383.
doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.01.005. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Ecosystem Function and Services of Aquatic Predators in the Anthropocene

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Review

Ecosystem Function and Services of Aquatic Predators in the Anthropocene

Neil Hammerschlag et al. Trends Ecol Evol. 2019 Apr.

Abstract

Arguments for the need to conserve aquatic predator (AP) populations often focus on the ecological and socioeconomic roles they play. Here, we summarize the diverse ecosystem functions and services connected to APs, including regulating food webs, cycling nutrients, engineering habitats, transmitting diseases/parasites, mediating ecological invasions, affecting climate, supporting fisheries, generating tourism, and providing bioinspiration. In some cases, human-driven declines and increases in AP populations have altered these ecosystem functions and services. We present a social ecological framework for supporting adaptive management decisions involving APs in response to social and environmental change. We also identify outstanding questions to guide future research on the ecological functions and ecosystem services of APs in a changing world.

Keywords: ecosystem effects; lake; ocean; predator; river; trophic cascade.

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