Will dingoes really conserve wildlife and can our methods tell?

摘要: Debate rages in Australia about the merits of using apex predators (dingoes Canis lupus dingo) to limit impact introduced mesopredators, which have been identified as primary cause Australia’s mass mammal extinction since European arrival. All studies this debate ignored detectability issues and instead relied primarily on unvalidated indices footprints or photographs from trails a measure abundance activity both. We illustrate how is likely vary these methods ways that predict outcome before any data are collected. argue until robust (e.g. distance sampling, mark–recapture, occupancy modelling) coupled with experimentation used assess issue (and those competition trophic cascades general), practitioners will be unwilling implement conservation actions suggested (in case reintroduction dingoes). These relevant carnivore more generally.