Habitat use and ecological interactions of an introduced and a native species of Anolis lizard on Grand Cayman, with a review of the outcomes of anole introductions
TL;DR: Review of data concerning 23 Anolis introductions indicates that the presence or absence of an ecologically similar native species may be an important determinant of colonization success or failure.
Abstract: Since its introduction ten years ago, Anolis sagrei has spread over much of Grand Cayman and is now more common in some habitats than the native anole, A. conspersus. Interspecific differences in body size, perch height, and microclimatic preference may have facilitated the colonization. Nonetheless, competition may be occurring between the species; comparisons with studies of habitat use prior to the arrival of A. sagrei indicate that in open habitats, where A. sagrei is now abundant, A. conspersus perches higher, but in closed habitats, where A. sagrei is absent, no change in perch height is evident. Review of data concerning 23 Anolis introductions indicates that the presence or absence of an ecologically similar native species may be an important determinant of colonization success or failure.
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01 Jan 2021
TL;DR: The international trade in live reptiles impacts significantly more species, with international trade documented for at least 642 taxa, and the largest trade in volume for all uses of reptile species and included 75 species from 2000 to 2017.
Abstract: Reptiles are among the most intensively harvested and traded species groups globally. The global trade of reptiles includes the trade of live reptiles as pets, as well as the trade of reptiles or their parts for use in traditional medicine, for reptile skins, or for human consumption. Reptiles have been widely used to treat a large variety of ailments, and medicinal use has been documented for at least 284 species. Reptiles are also an important food source, with the heaviest exploitation for this purpose in tropical and subtropical regions. In addition to the consumption of reptile meat for nutritional value, it is often intertwined with cultural beliefs, or consumed for medicinal purposes. The international trade of reptile skins is the largest trade in volume for all uses of reptile species and included 75 species from 2000 to 2017. However, the trade in live reptiles impacts significantly more species, with international trade documented for at least 642 taxa. Available data on the reptile trade may be unreliable due to frequently occurring discrepancies and a general lack of data on the volume and included species. Additionally, the reptile trade increases the risk of disease transmission globally, as well as the introduction of invasive species. All these factors have resulted in population declines across the globe. However, approximately 80% of the world’s population also relies on the use of natural resources for traditional medicine, food, or additional income. In order to effectively reduce the negative impacts of trade on reptiles, it is vital to address the underlying drivers of the trade.
8 citations
TL;DR: This study examined all the known sites of A. trinitatis (and A. extremus ) in Trinidad, and many new sites, and presented an alternative hypothesis, that A.trinitatis requires more vegetated habitats, which have been increasingly lost during urban development especially in northern Trinidad.
Abstract: Anolis aeneus and A. trinitatis were introduced to Trinidad before 1900, and A. extremus was a more recent introduction in the 1960s-1980s. The three species are of similar body size, and A. aeneus and A. trinitatis are known to hybridize in Trinidad. Detailed studies from the late 1960s indicated that A. aeneus was widespread but A. trinitatis was localized and apparently in decline due to hybridization pressure. In this study we examined all the known sites of A. trinitatis (and A. extremus ) in Trinidad, and many new sites. A. trinitatis remained abundant in and to the east of San Fernando in southern Trinidad. Two small populations remained in northern Trinidad, at one site in Port of Spain and at St Augustine, but A. trinitatis no longer occurred at most former sites there. A. trinitatis and A. aeneus had high niche overlap (0.99 or greater) for the three dimensions examined (substrate type and perch height and diameter). Both species were apparently still spreading into vacant habitats east of San Fernando. Of 12 sites from which A. trinitatis had disappeared, four had no anoles, four had sparse populations of A. aeneus , and only four had dense populations of A. aeneus . This pattern suggests that the decline of A. trinitatis is not related to hybridization with or competition from A. aeneus . An alternative hypothesis is presented, that A. trinitatis requires more vegetated habitats, which have been increasingly lost during urban development especially in northern Trinidad. A. extremus is apparently now extinct in Trinidad.
8 citations
Cites background from "Habitat use and ecological interact..."
...Introductions of Anolis fail where there is already an ecologically similar species (Losos et al., 1993), and most successful introductions to islands have been of large species (Roughgarden, 1995)....
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TL;DR: An interaction between the effects of sex and the presence of A. sagrei is found, indicating that males and females respond differently in their movement rates to the presence a congener, suggesting that variation in the motivation for movement between the sexes may explain intraspecific relationships between movement and habitat.
Abstract: Shifts in a species' habitat can be precipitated by co-occurring with a closely related, ecologically similar species, to avoid negative interspecific interactions. Such shifts in habitat may also cause a change in movement behavior in sympatric populations compared with allopatric populations. Anolis carolinensis lizards are known to shift their habitat to higher perches in the presence of Anolis sagrei, and we examine whether movement rates differ between populations of A. carolinensis that are allopatric and sympatric with recently arrived A. sagrei. We find an interaction between the effects of sex and the presence of A. sagrei on movement rates, indicating that males and females respond differently in their movement rates to the presence of a congener. We suggest that variation in the motivation for movement between the sexes may explain intraspecific relationships between movement and habitat.
8 citations
Cites background from "Habitat use and ecological interact..."
...…average perch height of individuals in populations sympatric with other anoles differs from the average perch height of individuals in allopatric populations (Jenssen, 1973; Schoener, 1975; Jenssen et al., 1984; Losos et al., 1993; Losos and Spiller, 1999; Kolbe et al., 2008; Stuart et al., 2014)....
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TL;DR: Comparisons of morphology and phylogenetic structure of natural and naturalized two-species communities of Anolis lizards suggest that the formation ofNatural communities may be at least partially governed by similar processes, and human-mediated invasions may be credibly viewed as modern incarnations of natural colonizations.
Abstract: Human-mediated colonizations present an informative model system for understanding assembly of organismal communities. However, it is unclear whether communities including naturalized species are accurate analogs of natural communities or unique combinations not present in nature. I compared morphology and phylogenetic structure of natural and naturalized two-species communities of Anolis lizards. Natural communities are phylogenetically clustered, whereas naturalized communities show no significant phylogenetic structure. This result likely reflects differences in colonization pools for these communities-that is, invasion from anywhere for naturalized communities but from proximal and thus phylogenetically close lineages in natural communities. Both natural and naturalized communities each include pairs of species that are significantly similar to each other in morphology, and both sets of communities are composed of species that possess traits of good colonizers. These similarities suggest that the formation of natural and naturalized communities may be at least partially governed by similar processes. Human-mediated invasions may be credibly viewed as modern incarnations of natural colonizations in this case.
7 citations
Cites background from "Habitat use and ecological interact..."
...…al. 2003; RodriguezSchettino et al. 2010), simple one- and two-species communities have been the subject of dozens of ecological studies (see Roughgarden 1995 for review), and colonization in anoles is becoming well studied (Williams 1969; Losos et al. 1993; Latella et al. 2011; Poe et al. 2011)....
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...Two of these types—“trunk-crown”and “trunk-ground”— appear to be superior invaders, and ecological differences between these forms may allow them to coexist (Losos et al. 1993; Losos and de Queiroz 1997)....
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Dissertation•
01 Dec 2014
7 citations
Cites background from "Habitat use and ecological interact..."
...…pertaining to the habitats utilized by A. sagrei (e.g. Salzburg, 1984; Calsbeek, 2009), the habitat descriptions in most studies either entail the structural habitats (e.g. Schoener, 1975; Losos et al., 1993) or the types of habitats used by these lizards (e.g. Schoener, 1968; Collette, 1961)....
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...Anolis sagrei is an aggressive competitor that has been shown to displace some other species of lizards from their habitats (Tokarz and Beck, 1987; Losos et al., 1993; Losos and Spiller, 1999), and through predation, have impacts on arthropod populations (Spiller and Schoener, 1994; Schoener and Spiller, 1996; Schoener et al....
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...Anolis sagrei is an aggressive competitor that has been shown to displace some other species of lizards from their habitats (Tokarz and Beck, 1987; Losos et al., 1993; Losos and Spiller, 1999), and through predation, have impacts on arthropod populations (Spiller and Schoener, 1994; Schoener and…...
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References
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Book•
01 Jan 1956
TL;DR: This is the revision of the classic text in the field, adding two new chapters and thoroughly updating all others as discussed by the authors, and the original structure is retained, and the book continues to serve as a combined text/reference.
Abstract: This is the revision of the classic text in the field, adding two new chapters and thoroughly updating all others. The original structure is retained, and the book continues to serve as a combined text/reference.
35,552 citations
TL;DR: Technique non parametrique pour la signification statistique de tables de tests utilisees dans les etudes sur l'evolution notamment.
Abstract: Technique non parametrique pour la signification statistique de tables de tests utilisees dans les etudes sur l'evolution notamment
14,666 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1972
TL;DR: The summation of the life work of one of the most influential scientists of our time is presented in the book "Genius: A Summary of the Life Work of Thomas E. MacArthur" as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: First published in 1972 and now available for the first time in paperback, this book is the summation of the life work of one of the most influential scientists of our time. Of permanent interest in the history and philosophy of science, it is also frequently cited in the current ecological literature and is still up-to-date in many categories. "The theme running through this book," MacArthur wrote, "is that the structure of the environment, the morphology of the species, the economics of species behavior, and the dynamics of population changes are the four essential ingredients of all interesting biogeographic patterns." Written in his beautifully lucid style, this work will continue to be read by anyone concerned with biological ideas.
2,182 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that such small, non-dimorphic species are best suited for insinuation into complex faunas, whereas larger, dimorphic forms are best for the colonization of empty areas.
Abstract: The tiny island of South Bimini contains 4 species of lizards of the genus Anolis, a number surpassed only on the 4 largest islands of the Greater Antilles and on 2 very large and nearby satellite islands. These species are syntopic with respect to a two-dimensional area of the ground but divide the habitat according to perch height and perch diameter: sagrei is partly terrestrial, but occurs more often on small and large low perches; distichus prefers the trunks and large branches of medium to large trees; angusticeps inhabits small twigs, especially at great heights; and carolinensis is found mostly on leaves or on the adjacent twigs and branches. The size classes of the species are staggered in such a way that the inter- specific classes which overlap most in habitat overlap least in prey size. Similarities in prey size and prey taxa for classes of the same species are somewhat greater than those expected on the basis of habitat and morphology alone. The distribution of the species among the vegetation communities of Bimini can be explained on the basis of perch height and diameter preference. Within the same species, the larger lizards usually eat larger food, fewer items, and in sagrei more fruit; and they have a greater average range of food size per digestive tract. One species (distichus) is extremely myrmecophagous: about 75-90% of its food items are ants. In 3 of the 4 species, subadult males take more food and average smaller prey than females of the same head length. That species (distichus) which takes the smallest food item; and whose classes overlap the most in habitat preference with those of other species is least dimorphic in size between the sexes. It is suggested that such small, non- dimorphic species are best suited for insinuation into complex faunas, whereas larger, dimorphic forms are best for the colonization of empty areas. The usefulness of various measures of "overlap" and "specialization" is evaluated for this lizard association.
1,737 citations
Book•
01 Jan 1986
TL;DR: This book is the classic account of how much the authors have since learned about the evolution of Darwin's Finches and shows how interspecific competition and natural selection act strongly enough on contemporary populations to produce observable and measurable evolutionary change.
Abstract: After his famous visit to the Galapagos Islands, Darwin speculated that "one might fancy that, from an original paucity of birds in this archipelago, one species had been taken and modified for different ends." This book is the classic account of how much we have since learned about the evolution of these remarkable birds. Based upon over a decade's research, Grant shows how interspecific competition and natural selection act strongly enough on contemporary populations to produce observable and measurable evolutionary change. In this new edition, Grant outlines new discoveries made in the thirteen years since the book's publication. "Ecology and Evolution of Darwin's Finches" is an extraordinary account of evolution in action."
1,144 citations