Citation
Mesopredator release and avifaunal extinctions in a fragmented system
TL;DR
Removing top predators causes mesopredator population explosion
This paper demonstrated how removing top predators causes explosion of medium-sized predators, increasing predation pressure on small prey. The mesopredator release concept explains counterintuitive outcomes where predator removal harms prey.
For markets, this suggests that removing dominant competitors can increase competitive intensity rather than reduce it, as multiple aggressive mid-tier competitors replace one restrained dominant firm.
Key Findings from Crooks & Soulé (1999)
- Removing top predators causes mesopredator population explosion
- Mesopredator release can harm prey more than top predator presence
- Coyote removal led to increased fox and raccoon populations
- Increased predation on ground-nesting birds followed