Citation
Are wolves saving Yellowstone's aspen? A landscape-level test of a behaviorally mediated trophic cascade
TL;DR
Wolf effects on vegetation more spatially variable than simple cascade narrative suggests
Challenges the simple trophic cascade narrative by finding that wolf-driven vegetation recovery is more complex and spatially variable than initially claimed. This represents important scientific nuance - network effects exist but their magnitude and mechanisms require rigorous testing. The ongoing debate illustrates how ecological network topology research evolves.
Key Findings from Kauffman et al. (2010)
- Wolf effects on vegetation more spatially variable than simple cascade narrative suggests
- Climate variability also influences vegetation patterns
- Behavioral effects (landscape of fear) harder to isolate than population effects
- Trophic cascades real but magnitude debated