![]() In this case, the now unused energy can be diverted to areas that could increase survival or reproductive success.ĭecay in recognition is also confounded by other advantages that the same recognition may lend that are unrelated to predator avoidance. For instance, if a squirrel uses a large amount of its total energy to maintain sharp hearing so that it can quickly detect approaching snakes, then the extinction of the predator should lead to a fast decline in aural capabilities. Unused senses that are metabolically costly should be quickly selected against. The time involved in the disappearance of recognition varies according to how costly it is to maintain the recognition mechanism (Blumstein, 2006). As a result, recognition behavior starts to decay and can eventually disappear altogether (Orrock, 2010). However, when pressures are relaxed following the extinction or extirpation of predators, the ability to recognize predators no longer carries a selective advantage. Animals that can do so via sensory input and respond accordingly are more likely to survive and pass on their genetic material to the next generation. Prey species must be able to recognize their predators. Regardless of the direction, small changes in behavior may result in large overall effects that can have significant influences on conservation and ecosystem function. Because of the differences in the nature of their relationships, however, the behavioral responses of prey species following the extinction of a predator are fundamentally different than the behavioral changes incurred when predators lose a prey species. These changes may be especially widespread in species that interact directly, particularly between predator and prey species. ![]() In particular, subtle changes in behavior of conspecifics often follow the extinction of a species. Yet, the effects are often considerably less dramatic. The effects of the extinction of a keystone species, for example, can ripple through the ecosystem by releasing conspecifics from competition or disrupting ecosystem functions, while the disappearance of a mutualist can spell the demise for the species who relied on them (Koh et al., 2004 Schulze & Mooney, 1993). Single species extinctions can have rippling effects on the ecosystem as a whole.
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