Large-bodied mammalian herbivores dominated Earth's terrestrial ecosystems for several million years before undergoing substantial extinctions and declines during the Late Pleistocene (LP) due to prehistoric human impacts. The decline of large led widespread ecological changes loss their functions, as driven by unique combinations traits. However, recently, humans have significantly increased herbivore species richness through introductions in many parts world, potentially counteracting LP...

Megafauna play important roles in the biosphere, yet little is known about how they shape dryland ecosystems. We report on an overlooked form of ecosystem engineering by donkeys and horses. In deserts North America, digging ≤2-meter wells to groundwater feral equids increased density water features, reduced distances between waters, and, at times, provided only present. Vertebrate richness activity were higher equid than adjacent dry sites, mimicking flood disturbance, became nurseries for...

The worldwide extinction of megafauna during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene is evident from fossil record, with dominant theories suggesting a climate, human or combined impact cause. Consequently, two disparate scenarios are possible for surviving this time period - they could have declined due to similar pressures, increased in population size reductions competition other biotic pressures. We therefore infer histories 139 extant species using genomic data which reveal declines 91%...

Large herbivorous mammals, already greatly reduced by the late‐Pleistocene extinctions, continue to be threatened with decline. However, many megafauna (body mass ≥ 100 kg) have populations outside their native ranges. We evaluate distribution, diversity and threat status of introduced terrestrial worldwide contribution towards lost Pleistocene species richness. Of 76 species, 22 (∼29%) populations; these eleven (50%) are or extinct in Introductions increased richness between 10% (Africa)...

Conservation science involves the collection and analysis of data. These scientific practices emerge from values that shape who what is counted. Currently, conservation data are filtered through a value system considers native life only appropriate subject concern. We examined how trends in species richness, distribution, threats change when all wildlife count by adding so-called non-native feral populations to International Union for Nature Red List local richness assessments. focused on...

Abstract Introduced large herbivores have partly filled ecological gaps formed in the late Pleistocene, when many of Earth's megafauna were driven extinct. However, extant predators are generally considered incapable exerting top‐down influences on introduced megafauna, leading to unusually strong disturbance and herbivory relative native herbivores. We report first documented predation juvenile feral donkeys Equus africanus asinus by cougars Puma concolor Mojave Sonoran Deserts North...

Abstract International and national conservation policies almost exclusively focus on conserving species in their historic native ranges, thus excluding that have been introduced by people some of those extended ranges own accord. Given many such migrants are threatened goals explicitly exclude these populations may overlook opportunities to prevent extinctions respond dynamically rapidly changing environmental climatic conditions. Focusing terrestrial mammals, we quantified the number...

Abstract Aim Reinstating large, native herbivores is an essential component of ecological restoration efforts, as these taxa can be important drivers processes. However, many herbivore species have gone globally or regionally extinct during the last 50,000 years, leaving simplified assemblages and trophically downgraded ecosystems. Here, we discuss to what extent trophic rewilding undo changes by reinstating herbivores. Location Global. Time period We report functional trait from Late...

Prehistoric and recent extinctions of large-bodied terrestrial herbivores had significant lasting impacts on Earth's ecosystems due to the loss their distinct trait combinations. The world's surviving avian mammalian remain among most threatened taxa. As such, a greater understanding ecological large herbivore losses is increasingly important. However, comprehensive ecologically-relevant datasets for extinct extant are lacking. Here, we present HerbiTraits, functional dataset all late...

Addressing intertwined crises of climate change and biodiversity loss is a pressing global challenge, with trees playing pivotal roles in promoting carbon sequestration habitat diversity. However, there distinct knowledge gap concerning the drivers shaping tree cover its heterogeneity, particularly relative importance large herbivores fire compared to climatic topo-edaphic conditions. Here, we deploy satellite observations strictly protected areas worldwide reveal that regions where...

Abstract Anthropogenic eutrophication of ecosystems is an important driver biodiversity loss. Even protected areas (PAs) may be impacted by anthropogenic nutrients, for example, from atmospheric deposition or the provision supplementary feeding. However, resultant nutrient patterns, and role local wildlife in shaping them, remain poorly understood. We investigated influences on that red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) play balance a PA Denmark. used habitat selection modeling theoretical scenarios...

ABSTRACT Various authors have suggested that extinctions and extirpations of large mammalian herbivores during the last ca. 50,000 years altered ecological processes. Yet, degree to which herbivore influenced ecosystems has been difficult assess because past changes in impact are measure directly. Here, we indirectly estimated (theorised) by comparing functional composition current (≥ 10 kg) assemblages those a no‐extinction scenario. As an assemblage's determines how it interacts with its...

Abstract Over half of Australia's threatened and extinct endemic mammal species have been attributed to introduced red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) cats (Felis silvestris catus). But this claim has so far based on expert opinion. We conducted a timeline analysis, systematic review, meta-analysis assess whether the attribution decline extinction these predators is evidence. Records for 43.6% 19.6% populations did not confirm that extinctions occurred after fox cat arrival, respectively. Most without...

Introduced predators are thought to be responsible for the decline and extinction of their native prey. The prey naivety hypothesis provides a mechanism these declines, suggesting that vulnerable introduced as coevolutionary history is insufficiently long antipredator behaviours fully develop. thus predicts will less responsive than predators. Australia's endemic small mammals predation by red foxes because they – or naive predator with whom have only co‐occurred since 19th century. To test...

Large-bodied mammalian herbivores can influence processes that exacerbate or mitigate climate change. Herbivore impacts are, in turn, influenced by predators place top-down forcing on prey species within a given body size range. Here, we explore how the functional composition of terrestrial large-herbivore and -carnivore guilds varies between three mammal distribution scenarios: Present-Natural, Current-Day Extant-Native Trophic (ENT) Rewilding. Considering effects herbivore weakly forcing,...

Article impact statement : Incorporating introduced populations into the moral universe of conservation shows Anthropocene is astoundingly rich in megafauna.

Abstract Apex predators structure ecosystems by hunting mesopredators and herbivores. These trophic cascades are driven not only the number of animals they kill, but also how prey alter their behaviors to reduce risk. The different levels risk navigated has been likened a “landscape fear.” In Australia, dingoes known suppress red fox populations, driving cascade. However, most what we know this relationship comes from circumstances where persecuted, which can affect social interactions....