Explore the significance of mammals in ecosystems, human society, and scientific research through this engaging lecture. Discover how mammals form critical links in food webs, their role in ecosystem functions, and the impact of their removal, as illustrated by the case of gray wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Learn about the long-standing relationship between humans and mammals in agriculture, companionship, and biomedical research. Examine the economic impact of pet ownership and the development of mouse models for studying human diseases. Investigate the potential of mammals as disease reservoirs and vectors, their impact as invasive species, and the central role of humans as the primary eco-evolutionary drivers on Earth. Gain a comprehensive understanding of why studying mammals is crucial for ecological, economic, and scientific advancement.
Overview
Syllabus
Intro
Mammals form critical links in terrestrial and aquatic food webs
Discussion: Gray wolves (Canis lupus) were part of the natural ecosystem in Yellowstone National Park, but were deliberately exterminated there (and throughout most of the contiguous 48 states) in the 1920s. How would you expect this extermination to affect ecosystem functions?
Mammal husbandry for food or dairy Mammals on farms and ranches around the world have been a part of human cultures for thousands of years (Zeder 2012)
Mammal husbandry for friendship Mammals are by far our favorite nonhuman companions: in 2015, Americans spent over $60 billion on their pets-a sum that is part of an upward trend likely to continue (JAVMA News 2015)
Mammals critical to biomedical research There are now numerous "mouse models" of human diseases-lab strains created by controlled breeding with genotypes matching those of human diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and other afflictions.
Mammals can be disease reservoirs or vectors Han et al. (2015) found that 217 of 2,277 rodent species examined (about 10%) are reservoirs for zoonoses (diseases transmitted from animals to humans) caused by bacteria, fungi, flatworms, or protists
Mammals as costly invasive species Mammal species may also be pests when they are translocated outside their historical ranges and introduced into novel areas where they thrive at the expense of native species
Humans (bipedal, cosmopolitan primates with a hypertrophied brain) are now the primary eco- evolutionary drivers on Planet Earth
Taught by
Jarod Raithel
