What is a Trophic Cascade?

William J Ripple; James A Estes; Oswald J Schmitz; Vanessa Constant; Matthew J Kaylor; Adam Lenz; Jennifer L Motley; Katharine E Self; David S Taylor; Christopher Wolf

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2016.08.010

What is a Trophic Cascade?

Trends Ecol Evol. 2016 Nov;31(11):842-849. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2016.08.010. Epub 2016 Sep 20.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Global Trophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
³ School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
⁴ Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
⁵ Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
⁶ Science Education Research Program, Department of Science and Mathematics Education, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
⁷ Marine Resource Management Program, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
⁸ Global Trophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.

PMID: 27663836
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2016.08.010

Abstract

Few concepts in ecology have been so influential as that of the trophic cascade. Since the 1980s, the term has been a central or major theme of more than 2000 scientific articles. Despite this importance and widespread usage, basic questions remain about what constitutes a trophic cascade. Inconsistent usage of language impedes scientific progress and the utility of scientific concepts in management and conservation. Herein, we offer a definition of trophic cascade that is designed to be both widely applicable yet explicit enough to exclude extraneous interactions. We discuss our proposed definition and its implications, and define important related terms, thereby providing a common language for scientists, policy makers, conservationists, and other stakeholders with an interest in trophic cascades.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Ecology*
Food Chain*
Terminology as Topic