Topic

The Tasmanian Devil

Instructions

Article Summary

Answer Preview

The population of the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), which is a type of apex predator that protects biodiversity through top-down influence on food webs, has been shrinking over the past 15 years. In this study, the researchers, who wanted to investigate the extent to which the Tasmanian devil’s abundance and community composition has been impacted by the DFID (Devil Facial Tumor Disease) outbreak in three separate regions of Tasmania, set 5760 hair traps that were baited with peanut butter, rolled oats, and walnut oil to attract herbivores in three separate regions of Tasmania. The hair traps, which were left in place for three consecutive days, would be meant to trap evidence that would indicate the presence of mesopredator prey species or devils.

Word Count: 250