Is climate change affecting interactions between owls and their prey?
Wiley
A new study published in Ecography assessed how climate change may be destabilizing interactions between predators and prey in the wild—specifically, how owl-prey interactions have responded to environmental variability and resource availability over 24 years in the semi-arid ecosystem of Bosque Fray Jorge National Park, Chile.
In their analysis of data from 1990–2015, the researchers found that during periods of low precipitation, when resource availability was reduced, owl species increasingly focused on different prey, reducing dietary overlap. After 2003, owls also began incorporating new prey species into their diets, increasing the overall richness of prey in the food web. Temperature was the strongest driver of these long-term changes in prey richness.
“Our findings suggest that changing environmental conditions are reshaping predator–prey interactions,” said corresponding author Angéline Bertin, PhD, of the University of La Serena, in Chile. “As climate change intensifies, the fragility of these ecological networks may become more pronounced. Understanding how climate and resource availability shape predator–prey dynamics will be essential for predicting ecosystem resilience.”
URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecog.08304
Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.
About the Journal
Ecography strives to understand ecological or biodiversity patterns through space and time. We encourage papers to advance the field of macroecology and biogeography through the development and testing of theory or modern methodology (remote sensing, molecular techniques, AI), or by proposing new tools for analysis or interpretation of ecological phenomena.
About Wiley
Wiley is a global leader in authoritative content and research intelligence for the advancement of scientific discovery, innovation, and learning. With more than 200 years at the center of the scholarly ecosystem, Wiley combines trusted publishing heritage with AI-powered platforms to transform how knowledge is discovered, accessed, and applied. From individual researchers and students to Fortune 500 R&D teams, Wiley enables the transformation of scientific breakthroughs into real-world impact. From knowledge to impact—Wiley is redefining what's possible in science and learning. Visit us at Wiley.com and Investors.Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Journal
Ecography
Article Title
Climate-driven resource availability drives medium- and broad-scale temporal changes in owl–prey interactions over 24 years in a semi-arid ecosystem
Article Publication Date
8-Jul-2026
No comments:
Post a Comment