TY - JOUR

T1 - Human-carnivore relations

T2 - A systematic review

AU - Lozano, Jorge

AU - Olszańska, Agnieszka

AU - Morales-Reyes, Zebensui

AU - Castro, Antonio A.

AU - Malo, Aurelio F.

AU - Moleón, Marcos

AU - Sánchez-Zapata, José A.

AU - Cortés-Avizanda, Ainara

AU - von Wehrden, Henrik

AU - Dorresteijn, Ine

AU - Kansky, Ruth

AU - Fischer, Joern

AU - Martín-López, Berta

PY - 2019/9

Y1 - 2019/9

N2 - We conducted a systematic review of 502 articles, published between 2000 and 2016, to characterize the research on human-carnivore relations according to (i) temporal and geographical distribution, (ii) biology, (iii) relations between carnivores and humans, (iv) social actors, (v) drivers of change, (vi) management, and (vii) applied methods. We performed a detrended correspondence analysis and Kruskal-Wallis tests to identify and describe thematic clusters used in human-carnivore relations research. Our results show that research is deeply biased so far, and four important knowledge gaps were detected. First, we found more studies had been conducted in the Global North than in the Global South, although risks and benefits of living alongside carnivores exist in the Global South equally. Second, most research focused on large predators, while small and medium-sized carnivores are also source of damages and ecosystem services. Third, relations were often framed around conflicts, with little attention to possible ecosystem services. Fourth, most research was carried out using natural sciences methods, despite methods from the social sciences having much to offer in this context. Research fell into seven thematic clusters focusing on: (1) North-American bears, (2) African large carnivores, (3) social research in America, (4) meso-carnivores, (5) Asian felids, (6) conflicts with the grey wolf, and (7) damages to human property. These results highlight the need for more integrative, social-ecological research on human-carnivore relations. We discuss how addressing existing knowledge gaps could contribute to mitigating conflicts as well as fostering coexistence between humans and carnivore species.

AB - We conducted a systematic review of 502 articles, published between 2000 and 2016, to characterize the research on human-carnivore relations according to (i) temporal and geographical distribution, (ii) biology, (iii) relations between carnivores and humans, (iv) social actors, (v) drivers of change, (vi) management, and (vii) applied methods. We performed a detrended correspondence analysis and Kruskal-Wallis tests to identify and describe thematic clusters used in human-carnivore relations research. Our results show that research is deeply biased so far, and four important knowledge gaps were detected. First, we found more studies had been conducted in the Global North than in the Global South, although risks and benefits of living alongside carnivores exist in the Global South equally. Second, most research focused on large predators, while small and medium-sized carnivores are also source of damages and ecosystem services. Third, relations were often framed around conflicts, with little attention to possible ecosystem services. Fourth, most research was carried out using natural sciences methods, despite methods from the social sciences having much to offer in this context. Research fell into seven thematic clusters focusing on: (1) North-American bears, (2) African large carnivores, (3) social research in America, (4) meso-carnivores, (5) Asian felids, (6) conflicts with the grey wolf, and (7) damages to human property. These results highlight the need for more integrative, social-ecological research on human-carnivore relations. We discuss how addressing existing knowledge gaps could contribute to mitigating conflicts as well as fostering coexistence between humans and carnivore species.

KW - Carnivore conservation

KW - Ecosystem services

KW - Human-wildlife conflicts

KW - Interdisciplinary research

KW - Nature's contributions to people

KW - Social-ecological relations

KW - Sustainability Science

KW - Environmental planning

KW - Ecosystems Research

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85069909753&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.002

DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2019.07.002

M3 - Scientific review articles

VL - 237

SP - 480

EP - 492

JO - Biological Conservation

JF - Biological Conservation

SN - 0006-3207

ER -