Wolves are indeed ecological balancers

Mar 19, 2013   |  

I am responding to Judd Knapp’s Feb. 19 letter regarding the wolf’s role in ecosystems and DNR management of them.

First, the wolf is a keystone species which is a plant or animal that plays a unique and crucial role in the way an ecosystem functions. Without keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether.


Second, wolves do not have the potential to wipe out herds. They do, in part, exert control over prey populations, keeping herds strong and healthy, but the reverse is also true. Actually, prey populations exert greater control over predator populations. Also, there is a long lag time after prey populations go up for predator populations to increase, and they increase very slowly in comparison to prey populations.


Third, yes the wolf population is “up” to 687, but only after fifty years of protection. So, in reality they are way down from their original population numbers prior to their almost complete extermination.


Their populations cycle along with prey population cycles, with prey populations being the stronger force over their numbers.


Isle Royale, the longest studied wolf/moose population, shows this relationship beautifully. Without the wolf, moose populations would explode and dramatically change Isle Royale’s ecosystem.


And yes, I love seeing moose, I backpacked Isle Royale and happily saw many moose.
As an aside, I did my undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment.


Tracy Lynn
Kalamazoo

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