predation, one of the most dramatic interactions in animals lives, has long fascinated ecologists. this volume presents carnivores, raptors and their prey in the complicated net of interrelationships, and shows them against the background of their biotic and abiotic settings. it is based on long-term research conducted in the best preserved woodland of europes temperate zone. the role of predation, whether limiting or regulating prey (ungulate, rodent, shrew, bird, and amphibian) populations, is quantified and compared to parts played by other factors: climate, food resources for prey, and availability of other potential resources for predators.