Integrating Cultural Evolution Into Ecological Dynamics

ABSTRACT

Culture is defined as information and behavior transmitted through learning from other individuals. Previous studies have demonstrated that cultural traits are widespread among humans and non‐human animals. Unlike biological evolution, cultural traits can spread within populations without requiring generational turnover, thereby enabling rapid behavioral change. This suggests that cultural evolution complements biological evolution as a driver of ecological dynamics, particularly during periods of rapid environmental change. However, ecological theory rarely incorporates cultural processes, and their impacts on population and community dynamics remain unclear. This review synthesizes evidence and theory to argue that cultural evolution is an essential but underappreciated driver of ecological dynamics. The discussion begins by examining how human culture shapes ecological processes through direct effects on population size, indirect effects mediated by landscape transformation, and changes in species dispersal. It then turns to non‐human animal cultures, discussing how they can influence population growth, predator–prey interactions, and even the structure of multi‐species communities. These examples highlight how the impacts of non‐human cultural evolution can propagate across species, reshaping ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Finally, this review outlines future research directions for incorporating human and non‐human animal cultural evolution into ecological research, with an emphasis on their interactions and cascading effects across species. Recognizing culture as a dynamic force in ecology is critical for understanding adaptive systems that respond to environmental change.