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Bridgett M Vonholdt - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A Genome-Wide Perspective on the Persistence of Red Wolf Ancestry in Southeastern Canids
The Journal of heredity, 2020Co-Authors: Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Robert K Wayne, Kristin E. Brzeski, Michael J. Chamberlain, Joseph W. Hinton, Jacqueline Robinson, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:The red wolf (Canis rufus), a legally recognized and critically endangered wolf, is known to interbreed with coyotes (Canis latrans). Declared extirpated in the wild in 1980, red wolves were reintroduced to northeastern North Carolina nearly a decade later. Interbreeding with coyotes was thought to be restricted to a narrow geographic region adjacent to the reintroduced population and largely believed to threaten red wolf recovery. However, red wolf ancestry was recently discovered in Canids along the American Gulf Coast, igniting a broader survey of ancestry in southeastern Canid populations. Here, we examine geographic and temporal patterns of genome-wide red wolf ancestry in 260 Canids across the southeastern United States at over 164 000 SNP loci. We found that red wolf ancestry was most prevalent in Canids sampled from Texas in the mid-1970s, although non-trivial amounts of red wolf ancestry persist in this region today. Further, red wolf ancestry was also observed in a subset of coyotes inhabiting North Carolina, despite management efforts to limit the occurrence of hybridization events. Lastly, we found no evidence of substantial red wolf ancestry in southeastern Canids outside of these 2 admixture zones. Overall, this study provides a genome-wide survey of red wolf ancestry in Canids across the southeastern United States, which may ultimately inform future red wolf restoration efforts.
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of microbes and mange consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three Canid species infected with sarcoptes scabiei mites
Parasites & Vectors, 2019Co-Authors: Alexandra L. Decandia, Kennedy N. Leverett, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. Using culture-independent next generation sequencing, we characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American Canids: coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We compared alpha and beta diversity between mange-infected and uninfected Canids using the Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate analysis of variance with permutation. We used analysis of composition of microbes and gneiss balances to perform differential abundance testing between infection groups. We found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected Canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, previously associated with Canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp., previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. This evidence suggests that sarcoptic mange infection consistently alters the Canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection, as seen in humans and other mammals infected with S. scabiei mites. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American Canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By adopting a “One Health” framework that considers mites, microbes and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.
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Of microbes and mange: consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three Canid species infected with Sarcoptes scabiei mites
Parasites & Vectors, 2019Co-Authors: Alexandra L. Decandia, Kennedy N. Leverett, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Background Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei . Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. Methods Using culture-independent next generation sequencing, we characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American Canids: coyotes ( Canis latrans ), red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) and gray foxes ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ). We compared alpha and beta diversity between mange-infected and uninfected Canids using the Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate analysis of variance with permutation. We used analysis of composition of microbes and gneiss balances to perform differential abundance testing between infection groups. Results We found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected Canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius , previously associated with Canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp., previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. Conclusions This evidence suggests that sarcoptic mange infection consistently alters the Canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection, as seen in humans and other mammals infected with S. scabiei mites. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American Canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By adopting a “One Health” framework that considers mites, microbes and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.
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Of Microbes and Mange: Consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three Canid species infected with sarcoptic mange
bioRxiv, 2019Co-Authors: Alexandra L. Decandia, Kennedy N. Leverett, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite, Sarcoptes scabiei. Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population, and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. We characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American Canids: coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Comparing mange-infected and uninfected individuals, we found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected Canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition, and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising these secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, previously associated with Canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp, previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. Considered together, this evidence suggests that mange infection consistently alters the Canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American Canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By further adopting a "One Health" framework that considers mites, microbes, and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.
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Rediscovery of Red Wolf Ghost Alleles in a Canid Population Along the American Gulf Coast
Genes, 2018Co-Authors: Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Kristin E. Brzeski, Ron Wooten, William T. Waddell, Linda Y. Rutledge, Michael J. Chamberlain, Daniel R. Stahler, Joseph W. Hinton, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Rediscovering species once thought to be extinct or on the edge of extinction is rare. Red wolves have been extinct along the American Gulf Coast since 1980, with their last populations found in coastal Louisiana and Texas. We report the rediscovery of red wolf ghost alleles in a Canid population on Galveston Island, Texas. We analyzed over 7000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 60 Canid representatives from all legally recognized North American Canis species and two phenotypically ambiguous Canids from Galveston Island. We found notably high Bayesian cluster assignments of the Galveston Canids to captive red wolves with extensive sharing of red wolf private alleles. Today, the only known extant wild red wolves persist in a reintroduced population in North Carolina, which is dwindling amongst political and taxonomic controversy. Our rediscovery of red wolf ancestry after almost 40 years introduces both positive opportunities for additional conservation action and difficult policy challenges.
Robert K Wayne - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A Genome-Wide Perspective on the Persistence of Red Wolf Ancestry in Southeastern Canids
The Journal of heredity, 2020Co-Authors: Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Robert K Wayne, Kristin E. Brzeski, Michael J. Chamberlain, Joseph W. Hinton, Jacqueline Robinson, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:The red wolf (Canis rufus), a legally recognized and critically endangered wolf, is known to interbreed with coyotes (Canis latrans). Declared extirpated in the wild in 1980, red wolves were reintroduced to northeastern North Carolina nearly a decade later. Interbreeding with coyotes was thought to be restricted to a narrow geographic region adjacent to the reintroduced population and largely believed to threaten red wolf recovery. However, red wolf ancestry was recently discovered in Canids along the American Gulf Coast, igniting a broader survey of ancestry in southeastern Canid populations. Here, we examine geographic and temporal patterns of genome-wide red wolf ancestry in 260 Canids across the southeastern United States at over 164 000 SNP loci. We found that red wolf ancestry was most prevalent in Canids sampled from Texas in the mid-1970s, although non-trivial amounts of red wolf ancestry persist in this region today. Further, red wolf ancestry was also observed in a subset of coyotes inhabiting North Carolina, despite management efforts to limit the occurrence of hybridization events. Lastly, we found no evidence of substantial red wolf ancestry in southeastern Canids outside of these 2 admixture zones. Overall, this study provides a genome-wide survey of red wolf ancestry in Canids across the southeastern United States, which may ultimately inform future red wolf restoration efforts.
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molecular genetics of the most endangered Canid the ethiopian wolf canis simensis
Molecular Ecology, 1994Co-Authors: Dada Gottelli, Robert K Wayne, Claudio Sillerozubiri, G D Applebaum, M S Roy, Derek J Girman, Jaime Garciamoreno, Elaine A OstranderAbstract:The world's most endangered Canid is the Ethiopian wolf Canis simensis, which is found in six isolated areas of the Ethiopian highlands with a total population of no more than 500 individuals. Ethiopian wolf populations are declining due to habitat loss and extermination by humans. Moreover, in at least one population, Ethiopian wolves are sympatric with domestic dogs, which may hybridize with them, compete for food, and act as disease vectors. Using molecular techniques, we address four questions concerning Ethiopian wolves that have conservation implications. First, we determine the relationships of Ethiopian wolves to other wolf-like Canids by phylogenetic analysis of 2001 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence. Our results suggest that the Ethiopian wolf is a distinct species more closely related to gray wolves and coyotes than to any African Canid. The mtDNA sequence similarity with gray wolves implies that the Ethiopian wolf may hybridize with domestic dogs, a recent derivative of the gray wolf. We examine this possibility through mtDNA restriction fragment analysis and analysis of nine microsatellite loci in populations of Ethiopian wolves. The results imply that hybridization has occurred between female Ethiopian wolves and male domestic dogs in one population. Finally, we assess levels of variability within and between two Ethiopian wolf populations. Although these closely situated populations are not differentiated, the level of variability in both is low, suggesting long-term effective population sizes of less than a few hundred individuals. We recommend immediate captive breeding of Ethiopian wolves to protect their gene pool from dilution and further loss of genetic variability.
Elizabeth Heppenheimer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A Genome-Wide Perspective on the Persistence of Red Wolf Ancestry in Southeastern Canids
The Journal of heredity, 2020Co-Authors: Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Robert K Wayne, Kristin E. Brzeski, Michael J. Chamberlain, Joseph W. Hinton, Jacqueline Robinson, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:The red wolf (Canis rufus), a legally recognized and critically endangered wolf, is known to interbreed with coyotes (Canis latrans). Declared extirpated in the wild in 1980, red wolves were reintroduced to northeastern North Carolina nearly a decade later. Interbreeding with coyotes was thought to be restricted to a narrow geographic region adjacent to the reintroduced population and largely believed to threaten red wolf recovery. However, red wolf ancestry was recently discovered in Canids along the American Gulf Coast, igniting a broader survey of ancestry in southeastern Canid populations. Here, we examine geographic and temporal patterns of genome-wide red wolf ancestry in 260 Canids across the southeastern United States at over 164 000 SNP loci. We found that red wolf ancestry was most prevalent in Canids sampled from Texas in the mid-1970s, although non-trivial amounts of red wolf ancestry persist in this region today. Further, red wolf ancestry was also observed in a subset of coyotes inhabiting North Carolina, despite management efforts to limit the occurrence of hybridization events. Lastly, we found no evidence of substantial red wolf ancestry in southeastern Canids outside of these 2 admixture zones. Overall, this study provides a genome-wide survey of red wolf ancestry in Canids across the southeastern United States, which may ultimately inform future red wolf restoration efforts.
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Rediscovery of Red Wolf Ghost Alleles in a Canid Population Along the American Gulf Coast
Genes, 2018Co-Authors: Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Kristin E. Brzeski, Ron Wooten, William T. Waddell, Linda Y. Rutledge, Michael J. Chamberlain, Daniel R. Stahler, Joseph W. Hinton, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Rediscovering species once thought to be extinct or on the edge of extinction is rare. Red wolves have been extinct along the American Gulf Coast since 1980, with their last populations found in coastal Louisiana and Texas. We report the rediscovery of red wolf ghost alleles in a Canid population on Galveston Island, Texas. We analyzed over 7000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 60 Canid representatives from all legally recognized North American Canis species and two phenotypically ambiguous Canids from Galveston Island. We found notably high Bayesian cluster assignments of the Galveston Canids to captive red wolves with extensive sharing of red wolf private alleles. Today, the only known extant wild red wolves persist in a reintroduced population in North Carolina, which is dwindling amongst political and taxonomic controversy. Our rediscovery of red wolf ancestry after almost 40 years introduces both positive opportunities for additional conservation action and difficult policy challenges.
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Rediscovery of red wolf ghost alleles in a Canid population along the American Gulf Coast
2018Co-Authors: Elizabeth Heppenheimer, Kristin E. Brzeski, Ron Wooten, William T. Waddell, Linda Y. Rutledge, Michael J. Chamberlain, Daniel R. Stahler, Joseph W. Hinton, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Abstract Rediscovering species once thought to be extinct or on the edge of extinction is rare. Red wolves have been extinct along the Gulf Coast region since 1980, with their last populations found in coastal Louisiana and Texas. We report the rediscovery of red wolf ghost alleles in a Canid population on Galveston Island, Texas. We analyzed over 7,000 SNPs in 60 Canid representatives from all legally recognized North American Canis species and two phenotypically ambiguous Canids from Galveston Island. We found notably high Bayesian cluster assignments of the Galveston Canids to captive red wolves with extensive sharing of red wolf private alleles. Today, the only known extant wild red wolves persist in a reintroduced population in North Carolina, which is dwindling amongst political and taxonomic controversy. Our rediscovery of red wolf ancestry after almost 40 years introduces both positive opportunities for additional conservation action and difficult policy challenges.
Alexandra L. Decandia - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Of microbes and mange: consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three Canid species infected with Sarcoptes scabiei mites
Parasites & Vectors, 2019Co-Authors: Alexandra L. Decandia, Kennedy N. Leverett, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Background Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei . Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. Methods Using culture-independent next generation sequencing, we characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American Canids: coyotes ( Canis latrans ), red foxes ( Vulpes vulpes ) and gray foxes ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ). We compared alpha and beta diversity between mange-infected and uninfected Canids using the Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate analysis of variance with permutation. We used analysis of composition of microbes and gneiss balances to perform differential abundance testing between infection groups. Results We found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected Canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius , previously associated with Canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp., previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. Conclusions This evidence suggests that sarcoptic mange infection consistently alters the Canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection, as seen in humans and other mammals infected with S. scabiei mites. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American Canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By adopting a “One Health” framework that considers mites, microbes and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.
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of microbes and mange consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three Canid species infected with sarcoptes scabiei mites
Parasites & Vectors, 2019Co-Authors: Alexandra L. Decandia, Kennedy N. Leverett, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite Sarcoptes scabiei. Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. Using culture-independent next generation sequencing, we characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American Canids: coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). We compared alpha and beta diversity between mange-infected and uninfected Canids using the Kruskal–Wallis test and multivariate analysis of variance with permutation. We used analysis of composition of microbes and gneiss balances to perform differential abundance testing between infection groups. We found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected Canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, previously associated with Canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp., previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. This evidence suggests that sarcoptic mange infection consistently alters the Canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection, as seen in humans and other mammals infected with S. scabiei mites. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American Canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By adopting a “One Health” framework that considers mites, microbes and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.
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Of Microbes and Mange: Consistent changes in the skin microbiome of three Canid species infected with sarcoptic mange
bioRxiv, 2019Co-Authors: Alexandra L. Decandia, Kennedy N. Leverett, Bridgett M VonholdtAbstract:Sarcoptic mange is a highly contagious skin disease caused by the ectoparasitic mite, Sarcoptes scabiei. Although it afflicts over 100 mammal species worldwide, sarcoptic mange remains a disease obscured by variability at the individual, population, and species levels. Amid this variability, it is critical to identify consistent drivers of morbidity, particularly at the skin barrier. We characterized the skin microbiome of three species of North American Canids: coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Comparing mange-infected and uninfected individuals, we found remarkably consistent signatures of microbial dysbiosis associated with mange infection. Across genera, mange-infected Canids exhibited reduced microbial diversity, altered community composition, and increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens. The primary bacteria comprising these secondary infections were Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, previously associated with Canid ear and skin infections, and Corynebacterium spp, previously found among the gut flora of S. scabiei mites and hematophagous arthropods. Considered together, this evidence suggests that mange infection consistently alters the Canid skin microbiome and facilitates secondary bacterial infection. These results provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of mange at the skin barrier of North American Canids and can inspire novel treatment strategies. By further adopting a "One Health" framework that considers mites, microbes, and the potential for interspecies transmission, we can better elucidate the patterns and processes underlying this ubiquitous and enigmatic disease.
William J. Ripple - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Large‐scale responses of herbivore prey to Canid predators and primary productivity
Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2017Co-Authors: Mike Letnic, William J. RippleAbstract:Aim The primacy of top-down (consumption) and bottom-up effects (primary productivity) as forces structuring ecological communities is a controversial topic. The exploitation ecosystems hypothesis (EEH) was invoked to explain biogeographical trends in plant and consumer biomass, and differs from the top-down/bottom-up dichotomy by predicting that the relative strength of these processes will vary along gradients of primary productivity. Here we test the prediction of the EEH that herbivore biomass should increase with increasing primary productivity where predators are rare, but show a negligible response to primary productivity where predators are common due to population regulation by predators. Location Boreal and temperate regions of North America and Eurasia, and deserts of Australia. Time period 1970–2016. Major taxa studied Cervids and kangaroos. Methods We obtained abundance indices of cervids at 42 locations from the literature and conducted spotlight surveys at 27 locations to derive estimates of kangaroo abundance. For analyses, herbivore abundances were converted to biomass per km2. We tested our prediction using linear mixed effects models. Results Herbivore biomass showed divergent responses to increasing primary productivity and the abundance of Canid predators (grey wolves, Canis lupus/dingoes, Canis dingo). The slope of the relationship between herbivore biomass and net primary productivity did not differ between Australia and the northern boreal and temperate regions. Herbivore biomass increased in response to primary productivity where Canid predators were rare, but showed muted responses to increasing productivity where Canid predators were common. Main conclusions Canid predators have strong suppressive effects on herbivore biomass that scale with primary productivity. Our study shows that the EEH has wide application to Canid-predator–herbivore dynamics and may be relevant to the management of herbivores because it can provide an indication of how herbivore biomass and densities may vary in relation to ecosystem productivity and the presence and absence of Canid predators.
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large scale responses of herbivore prey to Canid predators and primary productivity
Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2017Co-Authors: Mike Letnic, William J. RippleAbstract:Aim The primacy of top-down (consumption) and bottom-up effects (primary productivity) as forces structuring ecological communities is a controversial topic. The exploitation ecosystems hypothesis (EEH) was invoked to explain biogeographical trends in plant and consumer biomass, and differs from the top-down/bottom-up dichotomy by predicting that the relative strength of these processes will vary along gradients of primary productivity. Here we test the prediction of the EEH that herbivore biomass should increase with increasing primary productivity where predators are rare, but show a negligible response to primary productivity where predators are common due to population regulation by predators. Location Boreal and temperate regions of North America and Eurasia, and deserts of Australia. Time period 1970–2016. Major taxa studied Cervids and kangaroos. Methods We obtained abundance indices of cervids at 42 locations from the literature and conducted spotlight surveys at 27 locations to derive estimates of kangaroo abundance. For analyses, herbivore abundances were converted to biomass per km2. We tested our prediction using linear mixed effects models. Results Herbivore biomass showed divergent responses to increasing primary productivity and the abundance of Canid predators (grey wolves, Canis lupus/dingoes, Canis dingo). The slope of the relationship between herbivore biomass and net primary productivity did not differ between Australia and the northern boreal and temperate regions. Herbivore biomass increased in response to primary productivity where Canid predators were rare, but showed muted responses to increasing productivity where Canid predators were common. Main conclusions Canid predators have strong suppressive effects on herbivore biomass that scale with primary productivity. Our study shows that the EEH has wide application to Canid-predator–herbivore dynamics and may be relevant to the management of herbivores because it can provide an indication of how herbivore biomass and densities may vary in relation to ecosystem productivity and the presence and absence of Canid predators.
