Evaluate the collective function of references cited together in a given text segment.
Classify their combined role into one of the following categories: 'method', 'background', or 'result'.

Text:A decrease in stocking rate would result in further improvements in ecological integrity (Jansen et al. 1999; Fondell and Ball 2004; Martin and Possingham 2005; Dennis et al. 2008; Powell 2008; Little et al. 2013).
Category: