WILDLIFE EXPLOITATION OF ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGE: INTERACTIONS AND CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

Anthropogenic environmental change is continuing to accelerate globally and has important ecological consequences for virtually all life on Earth. There is extensive knowledge of the costs of anthropogenic change across many taxa, but there are also disparate examples of animals exploiting these changes and increasing their fitness. Species may benefit from novel or enhanced resources, variation in physical conditions, or from shifting biotic interactions arising from anthropogenic impacts. Here, we explore the breadth of examples, drawn from different biomes and fields of research, of animals that exploit anthropogenic change. We highlight the potential for interactions between anthropogeni..