Effects on carrion consumption in a mammalian scavenger community when dominant species are excluded

Abstract Carrion is a valuable resource exploited not only by obligate scavengers but also wide variety of facultative scavengers. These species provide several important ecosystem services which can suffer if the scavenger community composition altered, thus reducing provided. We studied response Mediterranean to exclusion larger (red fox Vulpes vulpes , European badger Meles meles and wild boar Sus scrofa ) using an fence permeable small (mainly Egyptian mongoose Herpestes ichneumon common genet Genetta genetta stone marten Martes foina ). The dominant led significant reduction in amount carrion consumed increase available for smaller decomposers, over longer period time. Although consumption non-excluded increased inside area relative control area, it was insufficient compensate eaten Of species, significantly its main beneficiary Therefore, altering woodlands reduce efficiency carcass removal benefit other opportunistic such as mongoose, increasing them. This interaction could have substantial implications disease transmission, nutrient cycling, function.