Pp 405–415 in Glen, A. S. and Dickman, C. R. (eds) (2014). Carnivores of Australia: Past, Present and Future. (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood). Chapter 18 Carnivore communities: challenges and opportunities for conservation Alistair S. Glen 1 , Chris R. Dickman 2 and Mike Letnic 3 1 Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand 2 School of Biological Sciences A08, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia 3 School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia Abstract Carnivores have both harmful and beneficial effects on other species. Because ecosystems are complex, it can be difficult to foresee all the flow-on effects that might follow the removal or introduction of carnivores, especially if they function as apex predators. This complexity presents a challenge for wildlife managers, who must decide whether certain predators should be controlled, conserved or left to their own devices. However, with a more thorough understanding of carnivore communities, the subtle interactions engendered by carnivores might be used to our advantage in conserving natural or other values. In this chapter we identify some of the most important gaps in our current knowledge, suggest priorities for future research, and outline some promising approaches that may help future generations to maintain productive, functioning ecosystems with apex predators and other carnivores. Introduction We have seen in the previous chapters that Australia supports a diverse range of carnivores, which interact with each other, and with their prey, in ways that are often poorly understood. The flow-on effects of these interactions are even more difficult to predict, but are surely important for biodiversity and ecosystem function. This complexity presents challenges for wildlife managers, and at present our ability to conserve Australia’s biodiversity is hindered because we do not fully understand all the interaction subtleties that carnivores engender. If managers control predators without understanding or even acknowledging the potential flow-on effects, this can lead to undesired outcomes. Such instances have been observed in many parts of the world (Zavaleta et al. 2001; Courchamp et al. 2003), including Australia (Glen and Dickman 2005). For example, fox (Vulpes vulpes) control at Shark Bay was followed by a 3-fold increase in cats (Felis catus) and an 80% reduction in native small vertebrates (Risbey et al. 2000). Control of dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) in the Tanami Desert was followed by a rapid invasion of foxes (Lundie-Jenkins et al. 1993; Short et al. 2002), and the local extinction of rufous hare-wallabies (Lagorchestes hirsutus) (Lundie-Jenkins et al. 1993). Feral cats have also erupted after dingo control in the Tanami Desert (Lundie-Jenkins et al. 1993), Diamantina region (Pettigrew 1993) and Gibson Desert (Christensen and Burrows 1995). Predator control can also have perverse outcomes for livestock (e.g. Allen and Gonzalez 1998; Allen 2014). However, with greater understanding, many of the interactions within and between species could be used to our advantage, both for conservation and for primary production (Glen et al. 2007; Dickman et al. 2009; Ritchie et al. 2012; Dickman et al. this volume). In this chapter, we summarise the most important gaps in our current understanding of how Australian carnivores interact with each other, and with species at lower trophic levels. We also discuss future approaches to carnivore management and research. Ultimately, we aim for a detailed and robust understanding that will allow us to manage and conserve working ecosystems, rather than individual species.