The reorganization of predator–prey networks over 20 million years explains extinction patterns of mammalian carnivores

Linking the species interactions occurring at the scale of local communities to their potential impact at evolutionary timescales is challenging. Here, we used the high-resolution fossil record of mammals from the Iberian Peninsula to reconstruct a timeseries of trophic networks spanning more than 20 million years and asked whether predator–prey interactions affected regional extinction patterns. We found that, despite small changes in species richness, trophic networks showed long-term trends, gradually losing interactions and becoming sparser towards the present. This restructuring of the ecological networks was driven by the loss of medium-sized herbivores, which reduced prey availability for predators. The decrease in prey availability was associated with predator longevity, such that predators with less available prey had greater extinction risk. These results not only reveal long-term trends in network structure but suggest that prey species richness in ecological communities may shape large scale patterns of extinction and persistence among predators.
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—Brasil (CAPES)
São Paulo Research Foundation
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
University of Gothenburg
Swedish Research Council
Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Comunidad de Madrid
Universidad de Alcalá
Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología
Fac. de Ciencias Geológicas
TRUE
pub