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Mesocarnivores of western rangelands

By: , , , , and 
Edited by: Lance B. McNew, David K. Dahlgren, and Jeffrey L. Beck
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-34037-6_16

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Abstract

There are 22 species of mesocarnivores (carnivores weighing < 15 kg) belonging to five families that live in rangelands of the western United States. Mesocarnivores are understudied relative to large carnivores but can have significant impacts on ecosystems and human dimensions. In this chapter, we review the current state of knowledge about the biology, ecology, and human interactions of the mesocarnivores that occupy the rangelands of the central and western United States. In these two regions, mesocarnivores may serve as the apex predator in areas where large carnivores no longer occur, and can have profound impacts on endemic prey, disease ecology, and livestock production. Some mesocarnivore species are valued because they are harvested for food and fur, while others are considered nuisance species because they can have negative impacts on ranching. Many mesocarnivores have flexible life history strategies that make them well-suited for future population growth or range expansion as western landscapes change due to rapid human population growth, landscape development, and alterations to ecosystems from climate change; however other mesocarnivores continue to decline. More research on this important guild is needed to understand their role in western working landscapes.

Study Area

Publication type Book chapter
Publication Subtype Book Chapter
Title Mesocarnivores of western rangelands
Chapter 16
DOI 10.1007/978-3-031-34037-6_16
Year Published 2023
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Description 42 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Monograph
Larger Work Title Rangeland wildlife ecology and conservation
First page 549
Last page 590
Country Canada, Mexico, United States
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