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Predatory senescence in ageing wolves
Article first published online: 23 SEP 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01385.x
© 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS
Additional Information
How to Cite
MacNulty, D. R., Smith, D. W., Vucetich, J. A., Mech, L. D., Stahler, D. R. and Packer, C. (2009), Predatory senescence in ageing wolves. Ecology Letters, 12: 1347–1356. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01385.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 8 NOV 2009
- Article first published online: 23 SEP 2009
- Editor, Jean-Michel Gaillard Manuscript received 21 April 2009 First decision made 18 May 2009 Manuscript accepted 18 August 2009
Keywords:
- Age structure;
- ageing;
- elk;
- hunting ability;
- life history;
- predator-prey interaction;
- senescence;
- serum albumin;
- survival;
- wolf
Ecology Letters (2009) 12: 1347–1356
Abstract
It is well established that ageing handicaps the ability of prey to escape predators, yet surprisingly little is known about how ageing affects the ability of predators to catch prey. Research into long-lived predators has assumed that adults have uniform impacts on prey regardless of age. Here we use longitudinal data from repeated observations of individually-known wolves (Canis lupus) hunting elk (Cervus elaphus) in Yellowstone National Park to demonstrate that adult predatory performance declines with age and that an increasing ratio of senescent individuals in the wolf population depresses the rate of prey offtake. Because this ratio fluctuates independently of population size, predatory senescence may cause wolf populations of equal size but different age structure to have different impacts on prey populations. These findings suggest that predatory senescence is an important, though overlooked, factor affecting predator-prey dynamics.