Aftereffects of Extinction
Food Chain Impacts
The wolf was a top predator and a keystone species in the North America ecosystem. They had direct effects in the movement of their prey animals such as moose and elk. Moving them along and preventing overgrazing and depletion of an area.
Ecosystem Changes
The loss of the wolf was especially felt in places like Yellowstone. Without their primary predator the elk populations exploded resulting in harsh overgrazing of important trees such as willow and aspen. This overgrazing meant that beaver populations decreased due to a lack of food and building material. This directly affected the geography of the park as ponds turned to streams and increased erosion. The coyote became an apex predator drastically affecting the small prey populations.
Biodiversity Impacts
The loss of the beaver population led to the loss of habitats for fish, amphibians and small birds, decreasing biodiversity. The coyote population increased causing numbers of antelope, rodents, foxes and more to drop.