ORCID Profile
0000-0002-7720-6280
Current Organisation
Monash University
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Research Topics
In Research Link Australia (RLA), "Research Topics" refer to ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes. These topics are either sourced from ANZSRC FOR and SEO codes listed in researchers' related grants or generated by a large language model (LLM) based on their publications.
Top 5 Research Topics
ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)
Ecology | Behavioural Ecology | Biogeography and Phylogeography | Ethology and Sociobiology | Animal Structure and Function | Population And Ecological Genetics | Genetics | Ecology And Evolution Not Elsewhere Classified | Conservation and Biodiversity | Evolutionary Biology | Zoology | Conservation And Biodiversity | Ecological Physiology
ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)
Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences | Border Biosecurity (incl. Quarantine and Inspection) | Biological sciences | Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity at Regional or Larger Scales |
Related Links
Publications
Does range-restricted evolutionary history predict extinction risk? A case study in lizards
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-10-2016
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.12875
Allopatric divergence drives the genetic structuring of an endangered alpine endemic lizard with a sky‐island distribution
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-06-2019
DOI: 10.1111/ACV.12519
Phylogenetic relationships in the Eugongylini (Squamata: Scincidae): generic limits and biogeography
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 25-05-2023
DOI: 10.1071/ZO23007
Abstract: Skinks (Family Scincidae) are the most erse family of lizards (~1745 described species worldwide), and the Australasian region (Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand) is a recognised global hotspot ( species) for skinks. Here we focus on determining the phylogenetic relationships and biogeography within the tribe Eugongylini, one of three lineages in the region. We used mtDNA (ND2) and nuclear (RAG-1, c-mos) DNA sequences and phylogenetic analyses to reveal the presence of three well-supported lineages of Australian Eugongylini. We found a sister relationship between the monotypic genera Eroticoscincus and Harrisoniascincus, and that the monotypic Anepischetosia has close affinities with Carinascincus coventryi and Pseudemoia. C. coventryi represents a separate lineage from the main Carinascincus radiation. Emoia was not found to be monophyletic, with Emoia s.s. part of an Australian lineage, and the remainder of the genus representing an older ergence within the tribe. The widespread and speciose Cryptoblepharus represented a well-supported lineage within an Australian lineage. Our analyses confirm previous suggestions that four Sphenomorphus species (louisiadensis, minutus, bignelli, and aignanus) are misplaced, and are part of the Eugongylini. Our phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis that the origin of the tribe lies in Asia, with dispersal events to Africa, Australasia, and Oceania.
Changes in Reproductive Investment following Caudal Autotomy in Viviparous Skinks (Niveoscincus metallicus): Lipid Depletion or Energetic Diversion?
Publisher: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Date: 09-2002
No behavioral syndromes or sex-specific personality differences in the southern rainforest sunskink (Lampropholis similis)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 30-10-2020
DOI: 10.1111/ETH.13103
Effect of caudal autotomy on locomotor performance in a viviparous skink, Niveoscincus metallicus
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2002
Dispersal in the desert: ephemeral water drives connectivity and phylogeography of an arid‐adapted fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-10-2015
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.12596
A Retrospective Approach to Testing the DNA Barcoding Method
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 11-11-2013
Effects of developmental environment on animal personality in a tropical skink
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 22-09-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S00265-022-03240-3
Abstract: Developmental environments play a significant role in shaping animal phenotype, including behavior. Within a species, in iduals often differ in behavior in a consistent and repeatable way (i.e., demonstrate animal personality). This consistency in behavior can be affected by differences in conditions experienced early in life. It is, however, unclear whether effects of developmental environments on animal personality are driven by changes in within- or between-in idual variation. To investigate this, we measured activity, exploration, sociability, and boldness in adult male southern rainforest sunskinks, L ropholis similis , incubated at either 23 °C or 26 °C, and compared behavioral phenotypes between these incubation treatments. We also compared the behavior of these incubation groups to a cohort of wild-caught skinks to determine whether rearing in captivity also affected the personality of the lizards. Skinks that had been incubated at a higher temperature were more explorative and demonstrated personality in a larger suite of traits compared to lizards incubated at a lower temperature or caught in the wild. These differences among developmental environment were primarily driven by within-in idual variation, which tended to be higher among the high incubation treatment. We also found no evidence for a behavioral syndrome in either captive- or wild-reared skinks. Our results suggest the potential for greater behavioral plasticity in skinks incubated at a higher temperature, which may enable them to cope with environmental change, such as climate warming, in the short term. Overall, we show that effects of developmental environment are complex and play a pivotal role in shaping animal personality. Experiences during development are expected to influence how animals develop, including their behavior. We tested early environment effects on behavior in adult southern rainforest sunskinks by comparing lizards incubated at different temperatures as well as comparing those reared in the wild with those reared in captive environments. We found that lizards incubated at the higher temperature were more exploratory. Furthermore, both incubation temperature and captivity/wild-rearing had pronounced effects on the consistency of behavior—in different directions for different traits—demonstrating developmental environments have strong effects on animal personality. Such changes in behavioral traits likely have flow-on effects for the animal’s fitness and biotic interactions.
Consistent temporal variation in the diet of an endangered alpine lizard across two south-eastern Australian sky-islands
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-12-2018
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12572
Comparative phylogeography of three skink species (Oligosoma moco, O-smithi, O-suteri; Reptilia : Scincidae) in northeastern New Zealand
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2007.08.012
Abstract: Sea-level fluctuations during the Pliocene and Pleistocene have shaped the landscape of the Northland region of New Zealand. We examined the comparative phylogeography of three skink species (Oligosoma moco, O. smithi, O. suteri) in northeastern New Zealand in order to investigate the impact of the historical processes that have prevailed since the Pliocene on the Northland fauna. O. moco, O. smithi and O. suteri have similar distributions across northeastern New Zealand, frequently occurring in sympatry. We obtained sequence data from across the entire range of each species, targeting the ND2 mitochondrial gene. Using Neighbor-Joining, Maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods, our analysis revealed contrasting phylogeographic patterns in each species. We found substantial phylogeographic structure within O. moco, with three distinct clades identified. Similarly, deep phylogeographic ergence was evident within O. smithi, with three distinct clades present. Clade 1 included O. smithi populations from the Three Kings Islands and the western coastline of Northland, while Clade 2 encompassed the remainder of the range. However, since Clade 3 corresponded to a described species (O. microlepis), O. smithi might represent a species complex. In both O. moco and O. smithi, ergences among clades are estimated to have occurred in the Pliocene, with ergences within clades occurring during the Pleistocene. In contrast, genetic ergence among O. suteri populations was extremely limited and indicative of more recent ergences during the Pleistocene. The lack of phylogeographic structure in O. suteri might be a consequence of its oviparous reproductive mode, which restricted its distribution to warm northern refugia during glacial maxima. Differences in the ecology and biology of each species might have produced contrasting responses to the same historical processes, and ultimately erse phylogeographic patterns. Our study reveals an absence of consistent and concordant phylogeographic patterns in the Northland biota, even within the same taxonomic group.
A complex history of introgression and vicariance in a threatened montane skink (Pseudemoia cryodroma) across an Australian sky island system
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 23-02-2017
Gall wasp biocontrol of invasive Acacia longifolia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECS2.2043
Origin, diversification, and systematics of the New Zealand skink fauna (Reptilia: Scincidae)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2009
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2009.03.021
Abstract: The erse scincid lizard fauna of the largely submerged subcontinent of Zealandia (which incorporates New Zealand, New Caledonia, Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, and the Chatham Islands) forms a monophyletic lineage within the Eugongylus group of skinks. We use 4062 bp of mitochondrial (ND2, ND4, Cytochrome b, 12SrRNA, 16SrRNA) and nuclear (Rag-1) DNA sequence data to recover a molecular phylogeny for the New Zealand skink fauna, and investigate the origin and ersification of skinks in New Zealand. Our phylogeny includes 32 of the 33 extant described New Zealand skink species (Cyclodina and Oligosoma), the Lord Howe Island skink (C. lichenigera), and representatives from several New Caledonian genera. Neighbour-joining, Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses are used to demonstrate that the New Zealand skink species form a single monophyletic lineage, with C. lichenigera representing a closely related sister lineage to the New Zealand radiation. Our relaxed molecular clock analyses indicate that skinks colonised New Zealand in the early Miocene (16-22.6 mya), shortly after the 'Oligocene drowning' event (approximately 25 mya). We propose that skinks reached New Zealand from New Caledonia via long-distance overwater dispersal, with C. lichenigera persisting on volcanic islands along the Lord Howe Rise and Norfolk Ridge. Eight major genetic clades are evident within the New Zealand skink fauna, with the ergences among these clades during the early to mid-Miocene resulting in distinct open habitat, forest, and coastal radiations. Subsequent ersification in the late Miocene-Pliocene appears to coincide with tectonic activity along the Alpine Fault and the uplift of the Southern Alps. We were unable to resolve the phylogenetic affinities of O. suteri, New Zealand's only native oviparous skink. We use the phylogeny and topology tests to resolve several taxonomic issues and assess the taxonomic status of several suspected undescribed taxa. We complete a generic revision for the New Zealand skink fauna, placing C. lichenigera and all native New Zealand species into a single genus.
Biology of the invasive delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata) on Lord Howe Island
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1071/ZO14098
Abstract: Lord Howe Island (LHI) is a remote oceanic island in the south-west Pacific that is World Heritage listed due to its erse, and largely endemic, biota. A suite of introduced species have colonised the island, resulting in the widespread population declines of many native species. The delicate skink (L ropholis delicata DeVis) was accidentally introduced to LHI from mainland eastern Australia, but there has been no detailed investigation of its biology on the island, or its potential impact on the native biota. We conducted a detailed study of the distribution and biology of the delicate skink on LHI over a six-year period (2007–12). The delicate skink was introduced to LHI in the 1980s, and rapidly spread across the island. It presently occurs in all 21 low-elevation vegetation communities on LHI. The delicate skink is diurnal on LHI, and displays seasonal variation in activity with a peak in November–December. The delicate skink exhibits sexual dimorphism with females having larger body and abdomen sizes and males having longer and broader heads, although the degree of genetic admixture may influence morphology on LHI. Females reproduce in spring and summer (September–February), with a positive relationship between body size and clutch size. Clutch size ranges from 1 to 7 (mean 3.4) and communal egg nests (11–200+ eggs) are common. Tail loss is common on LHI (55%), but is more frequent in adults and females. We conclude that, based on its distribution and abundance, the delicate skink has the potential to impact the erse and endemic invertebrate fauna on LHI.
Biogeographic barriers in south-eastern Australia drive phylogeographic divergence in the garden skink, Lampropholis guichenoti
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-05-2011
Biosecurity of exotic reptiles and amphibians in New Zealand: building upon Tony Whitaker's legacy
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2016
Evolution of diel activity patterns in skinks (Squamata: Scincidae), the world's second‐largest family of terrestrial vertebrates
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-05-2202
DOI: 10.1111/EVO.14482
Abstract: Many animals have strict diel activity patterns, with unique adaptations for either diurnal or nocturnal activity. Diel activity is phylogenetically conserved, yet evolutionary shifts in diel activity occur and lead to important changes in an organism's morphology, physiology, and behavior. We use phylogenetic comparative methods to examine the evolutionary history of diel activity in skinks, one of the largest families of terrestrial vertebrates. We examine how diel patterns are associated with microhabitat, ambient temperatures, and morphology. We found support for a nondiurnal ancestral skink. Strict diurnality in crown group skinks only evolved during the Paleogene. Nocturnal habits are associated with fossorial activity, limb reduction and loss, and warm temperatures. Our results shed light on the evolution of diel activity patterns in a large radiation of terrestrial ectotherms and reveal how both intrinsic biotic and extrinsic abiotic factors can shape the evolution of animal activity patterns.
A multi‐site method to capture turnover in rare to common interactions in bipartite species networks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-11-2022
Abstract: Ecological network structure is maintained by a generalist core of common species. However, rare species contribute substantially to both the species and functional ersity of networks. Capturing changes in species composition and interactions, measured as turnover, is central to understanding the contribution of rare and common species and their interactions. Due to a large contribution of rare interactions, the pairwise metrics used to quantify interaction turnover are, however, sensitive to compositional change in the interactions of, often rare, peripheral specialists rather than common generalists in the network. Here we expand on pairwise interaction turnover using a multi‐site metric that enables quantifying turnover in rare to common interactions (in terms of occurrence of interactions). The metric further separates this turnover into interaction turnover due to species turnover and interaction rewiring. We demonstrate the application and value of this method using a host–parasitoid system s led along gradients of environmental modification. In the study system, both the type and amount of habitat needed to maintain interaction composition depended on the properties of the interactions considered, that is, from rare to common. The analyses further revealed the potential of host switching to prevent or delay species loss, and thereby buffer the system from perturbation. Multi‐site interaction turnover provides a comprehensive measure of network change that can, for ex le, detect ecological thresholds to habitat loss for rare to common interactions. Accurate description of turnover in common, in addition to rare, species and their interactions is particularly relevant for understanding how network structure and function can be maintained.
Ant diversity in relation to time since fire in a mallee landscape of South‐Eastern Australia
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-04-2023
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.13308
Abstract: Fire is a dominant process shaping the Australian landscape and in many regions the frequency and severity of wildfires are predicted to increase under climate change. The primary impact of fire on fauna is typically indirect through habitat change. In particular, in mesic forests different animal species are favoured at different times since fire as habitat complexity increases with vegetation recovery. However, this will not necessarily be the case in habitats with low complexity such as many of those occurring in arid and semi‐arid regions. Here, we investigate the relationship between fire history and ant ersity and composition in semi‐arid mallee of south‐eastern Australia. We surveyed ants at 11 sites in the Little Desert National Park and nearby private land that last burnt 0.5, 6 or 40 years ago. We found no relationship between time since fire and either ant ersity or composition, and this can be explained by a lack of relationship between time since fire and vegetation cover. Our findings contrast with those for mallee bird species, which show clear successional patterns following fire, but are likely to be typical of ground‐foraging fauna that lack specialized habitat requirements.
Are behavioural syndromes sex specific? Personality in a widespread lizard species
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-08-2016
Calling phenology of a diverse amphibian assemblage in response to meteorological conditions
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-12-2018
DOI: 10.1007/S00484-017-1490-2
Abstract: The strong association between hibian activity, breeding and recruitment with local environmental conditions raises concerns regarding how changes in climate may affect the persistence of species populations into the future. Additionally, in a highly erse assemblage of anurans, competition for breeding sites affects the time and duration of activity, as species compete for limited resources such as water. Meteorological conditions are strong drivers of hibian activity, so we assessed whether temperature, rainfall, atmospheric pressure and humidity were associated with the calling phenology of an assemblage of anurans in South East Queensland, Australia. We performed calling surveys and collected digital recordings at 45 ponds in an area known for high anuran ersity. We performed detection analyses to investigate the influence of 10 meteorological variables in detection of calling activity in 19 hibian species. Our results suggest four breeding strategies in the assemblage: explosive summer breeders, prolonged breeders, opportunistic breeders and a winter breeder. Classifying these species into associations provides a framework for understanding how species respond to environmental conditions. Explosive breeders (i.e. species demonstrating short and highly synchronised breeding periods) were particularly responsive to temperature. Our findings help elucidate the breeding phenology of frogs and provide valuable information on their mating systems in native Australian forests. This study highlights the difficulties of surveying even common anurans. We highlight the importance of predictability and stability in climate and the vulnerability of species for which reproduction appears to require highly specific environmental cues.
Phylogeography of the spotted skink (Oligosoma lineoocellatum) and green skink (O. chloronoton) species complex (Lacertilia: Scincidae) in New Zealand reveals pre-Pleistocene divergence
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2007
Taxonomic Revision of the New Zealand Copper Skink (Cyclodina aenea: Squamata: Scincidae) Species Complex, with Descriptions of Two New Species
Publisher: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Date: 09-2008
DOI: 10.1670/07-110.1
An increasing citation black hole in ecology and evolution
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-12-2015
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.1356
Univariate and multivariate plasticity in response to incubation temperature in an Australian lizard
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 15-11-2022
DOI: 10.1242/JEB.244352
Abstract: Environments, particularly developmental environments, can generate a considerable amount of phenotypic variation through phenotypic plasticity. Plasticity in response to incubation temperature is well characterised in egg-laying reptiles. However, traits do not always vary independently of one another, and studies encompassing a broad range of traits spanning multiple categories are relatively rare but crucial to better understand whole-organism responses to environmental change, particularly if covariation among traits may constrain plasticity. In this study, we investigated multivariate plasticity in response to incubation across three temperatures in the delicate skink, L ropholis delicata, and whether this was affected by covariation among traits. At approximately 1 month of age, a suite of growth, locomotor performance, thermal physiology and behavioural traits were measured. Plasticity in the multivariate phenotype of delicate skinks was distinct for different incubation temperatures. Cool temperatures drove shifts in growth, locomotor performance and thermal physiology, while hot temperatures primarily caused changes in locomotor performance and behaviour. These differences are likely due to variation in thermal reaction norms, as there was little evidence that covariation among traits or phenotypic integration influenced plasticity, and there was no effect of incubation temperature on the direction or strength of covariation. While there were broad themes in terms of which trait categories were affected by different incubation treatments, traits appeared to be affected independently by developmental temperature. Comparing reaction norms of a greater range of traits and temperatures will enable better insight into these patterns among trait categories, as well as the impacts of environmental change.
Macroecological and biogeographical patterns of limb reduction in the world's skinks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-12-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14547
Abstract: Limb reduction is a dramatic evolutionary transition, yet whether it is achieved in similar trajectories across clades, and its environmental drivers, remain unclear. We investigate the macroevolutionary and biogeographical patterns of limb reduction in skinks, where limb reduction occurred more often than in any other tetrapod clade, and test their associations with substrate categories using a global database. We test for habitat associations of body shapes in a group of Australian skinks using quantitative habitat data. Global (Scincidae), Australia (Sphenomorphinae). Skinks, Australian Sphenomorphinae. We use morphological data to explore the patterns of limb reduction in the world's skinks, investigating how body proportions differ across skink clades and subfamilies. We examine the relationships between body shape and substrate (coarsely classified). Further, we investigate the relationships between body shape and high‐resolution soil and climate properties extracted from each species' distribution for Australian sphenomorphines. Relationships between limb lengths and trunk elongation show idiosyncratic patterns across skink clades. Presacral vertebrae numbers positively correlate with trunk elongation in all taxa, except Glaphyromorphus . Skinks from sandy habitats show greater disparity between forelimb and hindlimb lengths than all other substrate categories. In sphenomorphines, shorter limbs and elongated trunks correlate with colder, more humid microhabitats and richer soils high limb disparity correlates with hot, arid microhabitats and sandy, poor substrates. The evolutionary trajectories of limb reduction in skinks are clade‐specific and sometimes unique. Selection for specific limb proportions and body sizes in limb‐reduced forms changes across substrates. On poor, sandy substrates of arid environments, body shapes with longer hindlimbs may be more efficient for locomotion in a granular fluid (i.e. sand) and exploit the air–substrate interface than complete limblessness. On richer, more humid substrates, such morphology is rare, indicating that navigating cluttered substrates selects for more equal and shorter limb lengths.
Inter‐populational variation in the cost of autotomy in the metallic skink ( Niveoscincus metallicus )
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2004
Counting the bodies: estimating the numbers and spatial variation of Australian reptiles, birds and mammals killed by two invasive mesopredators
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-03-2022
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13497
Abstract: Introduced predators negatively impact bio ersity globally, with insular fauna often most severely affected. Here, we assess spatial variation in the number of terrestrial vertebrates (excluding hibians) killed by two mammalian mesopredators introduced to Australia, the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) and feral cat ( Felis catus ). We aim to identify prey groups that suffer especially high rates of predation, and regions where losses to foxes and/or cats are most substantial. Australia. We draw information on the spatial variation in tallies of reptiles, birds and mammals killed by cats in Australia from published studies. We derive tallies for fox predation by (i) modelling continental‐scale spatial variation in fox density, (ii) modelling spatial variation in the frequency of occurrence of prey groups in fox diet, (iii) analysing the number of prey in iduals within dietary s les and (iv) discounting animals taken as carrion. We derive point estimates of the numbers of in iduals killed annually by foxes and by cats and map spatial variation in these tallies. Foxes kill more reptiles, birds and mammals (peaking at 1071 km −2 year −1 ) than cats (55 km −2 year −1 ) across most of the unmodified temperate and forested areas of mainland Australia, reflecting the generally higher density of foxes than cats in these environments. However, across most of the continent – mainly the arid central and tropical northern regions (and on most Australian islands) – cats kill more animals than foxes. We estimate that foxes and cats together kill 697 million reptiles annually in Australia, 510 million birds and 1435 million mammals. This continental‐scale analysis demonstrates that predation by two introduced species takes a substantial and ongoing toll on Australian reptiles, birds and mammals. Continuing population declines and potential extinctions of some of these species threatens to further compound Australia's poor contemporary conservation record.
A new skink species (Oligosoma taumakaesp. nov.; Reptilia: Scincidae) from the Open Bay Islands, New Zealand
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2007
Spatial learning in captive and wild-born lizards: heritability and environmental effects
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-01-2020
The biogeography of warming tolerance in lizards
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-05-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14380
Abstract: Many ectotherms are at risk from climate change as temperatures are increasingly exceeding their thermal limits. Many evaluations of the vulnerability of ectotherms to climate change have relied on statistical metrics derived from coarse‐scale climatic data, which may result in misleading predictions. By applying an integrative approach, we investigated geographical correlates of the vulnerability of lizards to climate change. Globally. Lizards. We combined data on lizard thermal physiology and ecology, with high‐resolution climate data and biophysical modelling to assess lizards’ vulnerability to climate change. We calculated warming tolerance (difference between their body temperatures and upper thermal limits) and number of hours of activity. We investigated associations between warming tolerance and activity time with latitude, altitude and biome types. We compared our approach with traditional methods to calculate warming tolerance (using solely macroclimatic data). We found no latitudinal trend in the warming tolerance of lizards calculated from body temperature, but there was a weak negative correlation with altitude. We found associations between hours of activity and latitude and altitude. Desert species showed narrower warming tolerance than tropical and temperate species. Desert species and temperate species had reduced hours of activity when compared to tropical species. When warming tolerance was calculated from macroclimatic data, however, it was positively correlated with latitude and altitude, and species from tropical forested biomes showed narrow warming tolerances. Vulnerability metrics calculated from macroclimatic data can produce ergent outcomes to those observed from fine‐scale climatic data. Our work indicates that the ability of desert and temperate lizard species to cope with heat stress by thermoregulating is more constrained than that of tropical species. Integrative assessments of ectotherms' vulnerability to climate change can highlight species and regions that should be prioritised for conservation management.
Avian predation intensity as a driver of clinal variation in colour morph frequency
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-09-2018
Abstract: Phenotypic variation provides the framework for natural selection to work upon, enabling adaptive evolution. One of the most discernible manifestations of phenotypic variability is colour variation. When this variation is discrete, genetically based colour pattern morphs occur simultaneously within a population. Why and how colour polymorphisms are maintained is an evolutionary puzzle. Several evolutionary drivers have been hypothesized as influencing clinal patterns of morph frequency, with spatial variation in climate and predation being considered especially important. Despite this, no study has examined both of their roles simultaneously. The aims of this study were to: (a) examine the covariation of physiology, environmental variables and colouration at a local scale and (b) determine if these factors and their interplay explain broad clinal variation in morph frequency. We used the lizard Liopholis whitii as a model system, as this species displays a discrete, heritable polymorphism for colour pattern (plain-backed, patterned morphs) whose morph frequency varies latitudinally. We measured reflectance, field activity temperatures and microhabitat structure to test for differences in crypsis, thermal biology and microhabitat selection of patterned and plain-backed morphs within a single population where colour morphs occur sympatrically. We then used data from the literature to perform a broad-scale analysis to identify whether these factors also explained the latitudinal variation of morph frequency in this species. At the local scale, plain-backed morphs were found to be less cryptic than patterned morphs while no other differences were detected in terms of thermal biology, dorsal reflectance and microhabitat use. At a broader scale, predation was the most influential factor mediating morph frequency across latitudes. However, the observed pattern of morph frequency is opposite to what the modelling results suggest in that the incidence of the least cryptic morph is highest where predation pressure is most severe. Clinal variation in the level of background matching between morphs or the potential reproductive advantage by the plain-backed morph may, instead, be driving the observed morph frequency. Together, these results provide key insights into the evolution of local adaptation as well as the ecological forces involved in driving the dynamics of colour polymorphism.
Capturing uncatalogued distribution records to improve conservation assessments of data‐deficient species: a case study using the glossy grass skink
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-06-2023
DOI: 10.1111/ACV.12892
Abstract: Effective conservation planning is often predicated on detailed and current information about a species' geographical distribution. However, traditional sources of occurrence data (e.g., online bio ersity databases) may be insufficient for estimating the range of rare, poorly understood species that are readily misidentified. Here, we demonstrate a more holistic approach to this problem, using the poorly known glossy grass skink ( Pseudemoia rawlinsoni ) as a case study. We first compared the relative contribution made (to our geographical knowledge of the species) by online database records, with that of photo‐substantiated records obtained via personal communication (PC). We used ecological niche modelling (ENM) to predict the species' distribution, then performed field surveys at both historical and predicted suitable sites to further clarify its occurrence. 20% of all known records came from the PC method, which resulted in 35 new sites and increased the species' area of occupancy (AOO) by 176 km 2 . Most records obtained via PC came from the past decade, demonstrating that this method is more effective at elucidating the current distribution. ENM revealed that P. rawlinsoni has a disjunct range, and is mostly a low‐elevation coastal species, with the exception of suitable habitat in parts of the high‐elevation Australian Alps bioregion. The species' AOO has likely declined over recent decades owing to anthropogenic disturbance, given that 38% of the species' predicted range is now cleared agricultural land, and our field surveys failed to detect the species at 52% of historical record sites. Together, these findings provide a robust foundation of geographical knowledge on which to develop strategic conservation actions for the species.
Skinks in Zoos: A global approach on distribution patterns of threatened Scincidae in zoological institutions
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2021
Sex-dependent personality in two invasive species of mosquitofish
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-01-2020
Predictors of geographic range size in Australian skinks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13419
Abstract: Geographic range size varies greatly across species. Climate, along with aspects of a species’ biology, may influence its spatial extent. We investigate intrinsic and extrinsic predictors of range size in Australian skinks. We predicted that larger body size, longer limbs, and larger clutch sizes would be associated with larger ranges, and that ranges would be larger in colder, more arid, and more seasonal climates. Mainland Australia. Skinks (Scincidae). We test for climatic and geographic correlates of range size of Australian skink species (417 of 462 described species), as well as investigate the effects of body size and clutch size (259 species). We compare detailed morphological measurements of 1,324 specimens across nine pairs of widespread and narrow‐ranged congeneric species to investigate the roles of intrinsic (body size, clutch size, morphology) and extrinsic (mean temperature and precipitation) factors in determining range size. In the broader analysis, large range sizes were associated with the presence of fully developed limbs, low precipitation seasonality, high temperatures, and high precipitation. Ranges of species traversing the Great Dividing Range are larger by an order of magnitude than those east of the range, with western ranges being intermediate. Affinity to specific biomes explained less variation than climatic variables. For the nine species pairs, wide‐ranging species share similar morphologies and clutch sizes with overlapping narrow‐ranging congeners, but generally inhabit more arid regions. We found several extrinsic, but few intrinsic, factors were correlated with range size. The narrow mesic belts in Australia compared with the extensive expanse of arid and semi‐arid regions may explain why desert species have larger ranges. This interpretation agrees with the notion that the size of the domain, here a climatic domain rather than a physical one, may exert strong influence on species’ range sizes.
Correlates of extinction risk in Australian squamate reptiles
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-06-2021
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14140
Abstract: Identification of particular traits that predispose species to elevated extinction risk is an important component of proactive conservation. We capitalise on a recent strategic extinction risk assessment of all Australian squamate reptiles to identify intrinsic life history traits and extrinsic threats that correlate with extinction risk. We further assess whether extinction risk correlates differ between species impacted by different threatening processes (habitat loss vs. invasive species). Australia. Squamate reptiles. We used the IUCN Red List data for Australian squamates, and publicly available datasets for 14 intrinsic and extrinsic traits. We used phylogenetically controlled Bayesian inference to test hypotheses regarding relationships between extinction risk and species traits, environment, and threat measures. We found that intrinsic characteristics (habitat specialisation, small range size and large body size), as well as extrinsic factors (high human footprint, accessibility from human population centres, cold temperatures and high rainfall), predispose a species to extinction. Similar predictors were important in threat‐specific analyses, although relationships were generally more uncertain. Our results largely accord with those of global and regional studies of extinction risk in reptiles and of terrestrial vertebrates more broadly. Our findings illustrate that there is no single pathway to extinction among Australian squamates.
Rapid divergence of animal personality and syndrome structure across an arid-aquatic habitat matrix
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-08-2017
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-017-3924-2
Abstract: Intraspecific trait variation, including animal personalities and behavioural syndromes, affects how in idual animals and populations interact with their environment. Within-species behavioural variation is widespread across animal taxa, which has substantial and unexplored implications for the ecological and evolutionary processes of animals. Accordingly, we sought to investigate in idual behavioural characteristics in several populations of a desert-dwelling fish, the Australian desert goby (Chlamydogobius eremius). We reared first generation offspring in a common garden to compare non-ontogenic ergence in behavioural phenotypes between genetically interconnected populations from contrasting habitats (isolated groundwater springs versus hydrologically variable river waterholes). Despite the genetic connectedness of populations, fish had ergent bold-exploratory traits associated with their source habitat. This demonstrates ergence in risk-taking traits as a rapid phenotypic response to ecological pressures in arid aquatic habitats: neophilia may be suppressed by increased predation pressure and elevated by high intraspecific competition. Correlations between personality traits also differed between spring and river fish. River populations showed correlations between dispersal and novel environment behaviours, revealing an adaptive behavioural syndrome (related to dispersal and exploration) that was not found in spring populations. This illustrates the adaptive significance of heritable behavioural variation within and between populations, and their importance to animals persisting across contrasting habitats.
Genetic divergence among regions containing the vulnerable great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei) in the Australian Arid Zone
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 10-06-2015
ECOLOGY, LIFE-HISTORY, AND BEHAVIOR IN THE AUSTRALIAN SCINCID GENUS EGERNIA, WITH COMMENTS ON THE EVOLUTION OF COMPLEX SOCIALITY IN LIZARDS
Publisher: Herpetologists League
Date: 2003
New Zealand Lizards
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
Automated assessment reveals that the extinction risk of reptiles is widely underestimated across space and phylogeny
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 26-05-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PBIO.3001544
Abstract: The Red List of Threatened Species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is a crucial tool for conservation decision-making. However, despite substantial effort, numerous species remain unassessed or have insufficient data available to be assigned a Red List extinction risk category. Moreover, the Red Listing process is subject to various sources of uncertainty and bias. The development of robust automated assessment methods could serve as an efficient and highly useful tool to accelerate the assessment process and offer provisional assessments. Here, we aimed to (1) present a machine learning–based automated extinction risk assessment method that can be used on less known species (2) offer provisional assessments for all reptiles—the only major tetrapod group without a comprehensive Red List assessment and ( 3) evaluate potential effects of human decision biases on the outcome of assessments. We use the method presented here to assess 4,369 reptile species that are currently unassessed or classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN. The models used in our predictions were 90% accurate in classifying species as threatened/nonthreatened, and 84% accurate in predicting specific extinction risk categories. Unassessed and Data Deficient reptiles were considerably more likely to be threatened than assessed species, adding to mounting evidence that these species warrant more conservation attention. The overall proportion of threatened species greatly increased when we included our provisional assessments. Assessor identities strongly affected prediction outcomes, suggesting that assessor effects need to be carefully considered in extinction risk assessments. Regions and taxa we identified as likely to be more threatened should be given increased attention in new assessments and conservation planning. Lastly, the method we present here can be easily implemented to help bridge the assessment gap for other less known taxa.
Evaluating cognition and thermal physiology as components of the pace-of-life syndrome
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 20-08-2018
Behavioural phenotype modulates group size effects in a lizard
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Can translocations to islands reduce extinction risk for reptiles? Case studies from New Zealand
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Know when to run, know when to hide: Can behavioral differences explain the divergent invasion success of two sympatric lizards?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-10-2011
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.22
Reptiles on the brink: identifying the Australian terrestrial snake and lizard species most at risk of extinction
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2021
DOI: 10.1071/PC20033
Abstract: Australia hosts approximately 10% of the world’s reptile species, the largest number of any country. Despite this and evidence of widespread decline, the first comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of Australian terrestrial squamates (snakes and lizards) was undertaken only recently. Here we apply structured expert elicitation to the 60 species assessed to be in the highest IUCN threat categories to estimate their probability of extinction by 2040. We also assessed the probability of successful reintroduction for two Extinct in the Wild (EW) Christmas Island species with trial reintroductions underway. Collation and analysis of expert opinion indicated that six species are at high risk (& %) of becoming extinct within the next 20 years, and up to 11 species could be lost within this timeframe unless management improves. The consensus among experts was that neither of the EW species were likely to persist outside of small fenced areas without a significant increase in resources for intense threat management. The 20 most imperilled species are all restricted in range, with three occurring only on islands. The others are endemic to a single state, with 55% occurring in Queensland. Invasive species (notably weeds and introduced predators) were the most prevalent threats, followed by agriculture, natural system modifications (primarily fire) and climate change. Increased resourcing and management intervention are urgently needed to avert the impending extinction of Australia’s imperilled terrestrial reptiles.
The global diversity and distribution of lizard clutch sizes
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 11-06-2020
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13124
Oligosoma aureocola sp. nov. (Reptilia: Scincidae) from the northern Southland high country of Aotearoa/New Zealand
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 16-05-2023
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5285.2.3
Abstract: A species of diurnal skink from the Mataura Range and Mid Dome in central northern Southland, Aotearoa/New Zealand is described as Oligosoma aureocola sp. nov. It is a small species, coloured mid- to dark brown with smooth longitudinal stripes, and lives along rocky alpine ridges, low-stature shrublands, and tussock grasslands. This skink is a conspicuous species, easily sighted basking and foraging in talus or alpine plants such as golden spear grass (Aciphylla aurea).
Erratum: Lost and Found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; reptilia; Scincidae) species complex fromnew Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species (Zootaxa (2019) 4623:3 (441-484) DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4623.3.2)
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 24-10-2019
Inherent behavioural traits enable a widespread lizard to cope with urban life
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-06-2018
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12582
Can behavioral and personality traits influence the success of unintentional species introductions?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.TREE.2011.09.010
Abstract: Unintentional species invasions are instigated by human-mediated dispersal of in iduals beyond their native range. Although most introductions fail at the first hurdle, a select subset pass through each stage of the introduction process (i.e., transport, introduction, establishment and spread) to become successful invaders. Efforts to identify the traits associated with invasion success have predominately focused on deliberate introductions, which essentially bypass the initial introduction stage. Here, we highlight how behavior influences the success or failure of unintentional species introductions across each stage of the introduction process, with a particular focus on transportation and initial establishment. In addition, we emphasize how recent advances in understanding of animal personalities and in idual-level behavioral variation can help elucidate the mechanisms underlying the success of stowaways.
Intraspecific hybridisation of an invasive lizard on Lord Howe Island
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 02-08-2022
DOI: 10.1071/ZO21045
Abstract: Human-mediated dispersal of animals often acts to bring populations that have been separated for substantial periods of evolutionary time (e.g. millions of years) in their native range into contact in their introduced range. Whether these taxa successfully interbreed in the introduced range provides information on the strength of reproductive isolation amongst them. The invasive delicate skink (L ropholis delicata) has been accidentally introduced to Lord Howe Island from four genetically ergent ( million years) regions of the species’ native range in eastern Australia. We used mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite data to investigate whether the in iduals from four of the native-range source regions are interbreeding on Lord Howe Island. Our analyses indicate that intraspecific hybridisation among in iduals from all four native-range source regions is occurring. Although there is little evidence for hybrids in the northern end of Lord Howe Island (proportion of hybrids: 0–0.02 n = 31), there is a high proportion of hybrids in the central (0.33–0.69 n = 59) and southern regions (0.38–0.75 n = 8) of the island. Given the strong evidence for interbreeding among all four native-range source regions examined, and the relatively minor morphological, life-history and phenotypic variation among them, we suggest that the delicate skink should continue to be treated as a single, widespread, but variable species.
Human-assisted invasions of Pacific islands by Litoria frogs: A case study of the bleating tree frog on Lord Howe Island
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 11-05-2015
Pervasive admixture and the spread of a large‐lipped form in a cichlid fish radiation
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-09-2021
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.16139
Abstract: Adaptive radiations have proven important for understanding the mechanisms and processes underlying biological ersity. The convergence of form and function, as well as admixture and adaptive introgression, are common in adaptive radiations. However, distinguishing between these two scenarios remains a challenge for evolutionary research. The Midas cichlid species complex ( Amphilophus spp.) is a prime ex le of adaptive radiation, with phenotypic ersification occurring at various stages of genetic differentiation. One species, A . labiatus , has large fleshy lips, is associated with rocky lake substrates, and occurs patchily within Lakes Nicaragua and Managua. By contrast, the similar, but thin‐lipped, congener, A . citrinellus , is more common and widespread. We investigated the evolutionary history of the large‐lipped form, specifically regarding whether the trait has evolved independently in both lakes from ancestral thin‐lipped populations, or via dispersal and/or admixture events. We collected s les from distinct locations in both lakes, and assessed differences in morphology and ecology. Using RAD‐seq, we genotyped thousands of SNPs to measure population structure and ergence, demographic history, and admixture. We found significant between‐species differences in ecology and morphology, local intraspecific differences in body shape and trophic traits, but only limited intraspecific variation in lip shape. Despite clear ecological differences, our genomic approach uncovered pervasive admixture between the species and low genomic differentiation, with species within lakes being genetically more similar than species between lakes. Taken together, our results suggest a single origin of large‐lips, followed by pervasive admixture and adaptive introgression, with morphology being driven by local ecological opportunities, despite ongoing gene‐flow.
virToad: simulating the spatiotemporal population dynamics and management of a global invader
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-07-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10980-022-01468-Y
Abstract: The cane toad ( Rhinella marina ) is one of the most globally significant and well-studied invasive alien species, and the detrimental impacts of its invasions warrant the design and application of decision support tools. While many models have been developed for guiding policies addressing cane toad invasions, none reliably predict the species’ population dynamics at scales relevant to on-the-ground management. We describe virToad —an in idual-based life-history simulator of the cane toad. We then illustrate virToad ’s ability to forecast the cane toad’s spatiotemporal population dynamics at local- to landscape-scales, and its potential for improving management responses to cane toad invasions. We designed virToad to make population dynamics an emergent consequence of the cane toad’s fitness-maximising behavioural responses to mechanistic constraints (e.g., water availability, kin selection), and to management actions. We used virToad to simulate cane toad population dynamics in the absence of management, and under alternative management strategies implemented across a spectrum of effort: hand-capturing and trapping of juveniles and adults, fencing waterbodies, and trapping and chemically suppressing tadpoles. virToad produced plausible predictions of cane toad population densities, detection probabilities, distributions, and spatial segregation. Simulation experiments indicated that the efficacy of competing management actions varied significantly, and that only moderate to high effort hand-capturing and trapping of juveniles and adults had the potential to suppress invasions. virToad is an open-source, rigorous, and extensible decision support platform that will enable researchers and practitioners to defensibly forecast local- to landscape-scale cane toad spatiotemporal population dynamics and management outcomes.
Life-history traits and extrinsic threats determine extinction risk in New Zealand lizards
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2013
A new species of Oligosoma (Squamata: Scincidae) from the northern North Island, New Zealand
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 10-2021
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.5047.4.1
Abstract: New Zealand is home to a erse cool temperate assemblage of skinks, with 60+ identified taxa (genus Oligosoma Girard), of which only 50 have been formally described. Here we describe a new species (Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov.) from Bream Head Scenic Reserve, near Whangārei Heads, Northland. This species is considered to be conspecific with a single specimen (Oligosoma “Whirinaki”) previously reported (in 2003) from Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park ~370 km further south. Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other members of the genus by a combination of a distinctive “teardrop” marking below the eye, a distinctive mid-lateral stripe, and the colouration and pattern on its ventral surface. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov. is most closely related to O. zelandicum (Gray), and more distantly to O. striatum (Buller) and O. homalonotum (Boulenger). Sea level changes during the Pliocene, such as the formation of the Manawatū Strait, may have contributed to the ergence between Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov. and O. zelandicum. We discuss the distribution, ecology and conservation of Oligosoma kakerakau sp. nov., and outline future research and conservation priorities for the species.
Within-plant distribution ofHelicoverpa armigera(Hübner) andHelicoverpa punctigera(Wallengren) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs on irrigated soybean
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-04-2001
Evaluating the performance of anchored hybrid enrichment at the tips of the tree of life: A phylogenetic analysis of Australian Eugongylus group scincid lizards
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-04-2015
Rapid assessment of the biodiversity impacts of the 2019–2020 Australian megafires to guide urgent management intervention and recovery and lessons for other regions
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-10-2021
DOI: 10.1111/DDI.13428
Abstract: The incidence of major fires is increasing globally, creating extraordinary challenges for governments, managers and conservation scientists. In 2019–2020, Australia experienced precedent‐setting fires that burned over several months, affecting seven states and territories and causing massive bio ersity loss. Whilst the fires were still burning, the Australian Government convened a bio ersity Expert Panel to guide its bushfire response. A pressing need was to target emergency investment and management to reduce the chance of extinctions and maximise the chances of longer‐term recovery. We describe the approach taken to rapidly prioritise fire‐affected animal species. We use the experience to consider the organisational and data requirements for evidence‐based responses to future ecological disasters. Forested biomes of subtropical and temperate Australia, with lessons for other regions. We developed assessment frameworks to screen fire‐affected species based on their pre‐fire conservation status, the proportion of their distribution overlapping with fires, and their behavioural/ecological traits relating to fire vulnerability. Using formal and informal networks of scientists, government and non‐government staff and managers, we collated expert input and data from multiple sources, undertook the analyses, and completed the assessments in 3 weeks for vertebrates and 8 weeks for invertebrates. The assessments prioritised 92 vertebrate and 213 invertebrate species for urgent management response another 147 invertebrate species were placed on a watchlist requiring further information. The priority species lists helped focus government and non‐government investment, management and research effort, and communication to the public. Using multiple expert networks allowed the assessments to be completed rapidly using the best information available. However, the assessments highlighted substantial gaps in data availability and access, deficiencies in statutory threatened species listings, and the need for capacity‐building across the conservation science and management sectors. We outline a flexible template for using evidence effectively in emergency responses for future ecological disasters.
Has an invasive lizard lost its antipredator behaviours following 40 generations of isolation from snake predators?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2021
Does thermal biology differ between two colour pattern morphs of a widespread Australian lizard?
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2023
Animal population decline and recovery after severe fire: Relating ecological and life history traits with expert estimates of population impacts from the Australian 2019-20 megafires
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2023
Geographic and taxonomic patterns of extinction risk in Australian squamates
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2019
Does geographical isolation influence group recognition and social preference in an invasive lizard?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-10-2019
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12738
A matter of time: Temporal variation in the introduction history and population genetic structuring of an invasive lizard
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 06-2015
Abstract: Invasive species are considered one of the greatest threats to native ecosystems, second only to habitat loss and fragmentation. Despite this, the temporal dynamics of invasions are poorly understood, with most studies focusing on a single time point, providing us with only a snapshot of the biology and genetics of the invader. We investigated the invasion of Lord Howe Island by the delicate skink L ropholis delicata and assessed the introduction history and genetic structure of this species over a 5-year period. Using genetic data taken from 2007, and again in 2011/12, we examined changes in the population genetic structure (whether new haplotypes had been introduced to the island, and shifts in haplotype frequencies) of the species on the island between these two time points. No new haplotypes were introduced to the island between 2007 and 2011/12 however, significant shifts in haplotype frequencies across the island were detected. We conclude that the delicate skink is expanding its range into the southern regions of the island and that the haplotype frequencies on Lord Howe Island are still in a state of highly dynamic flux. Our study highlights the importance of considering invasions as dynamic and studying them in such a way that enable us to better manage their impacts.
Life history and reproductive ecology of White's skink, Egernia whitii
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2005
DOI: 10.1071/ZO05030
Abstract: The life history and reproductive ecology of White’s skink, Egernia whitii, was examined in a population in the Australian Capital Territory using both field and genetic studies. Colour pattern polymorphism was evident within the population, with both patterned and plain-back morphs present. Lizards typically took 3 years to reach sexual maturity, with the size at maturity being ~75 mm snout–vent length (SVL) in both sexes. There was an even overall adult sex ratio, although a slight female-bias was evident in plain-back in iduals. Sexual dimorphism was evident, with males having longer and wider heads, and females having larger body size. Females generally bred annually, with mating occurring in September–October and parturition in late January–February, although the litter was produced over several days (2–10 days, mean 4 days). Litter size ranged from one to four (mean of 2.5). There was a significant relationship between maternal SVL and both litter size and relative clutch mass, but these trends were not consistent between colour morphs. An inverse relationship between litter size and offspring size (SVL and mass) was found. Comparison of the results with previous investigations of E. whitii indicates substantial geographic variation in life-history traits that is presumably associated with latitudinal variation in climatic conditions.
Group structure and stability in social aggregations of white's skink, Egernia whitii
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-02-2006
Patterns of niche filling and expansion across the invaded ranges of an Australian lizard
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-05-2016
DOI: 10.1111/ECOG.01576
Repeatability, locomotor performance and trade-offs between performance traits in two lizard species, Oligosoma alani and O. smithi
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 27-09-2017
Predictors of translocation success of captive-reared lizards: implications for their captive management
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-10-2020
DOI: 10.1111/ACV.12544
Behavioural variation and plasticity along an invasive ant introduction pathway
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-08-2018
Abstract: Once established in new areas, introduced species may exhibit changes in their biology due to phenotypic plasticity, novel selection pressures and genetic drift. Moreover, the introduction process itself has been hypothesised to act as a selective filter for traits that promote invasiveness. We tested the hypothesis that behaviours thought to promote invasiveness-such as increased foraging activity and aggression-are selected for during invasion by comparing traits among native and introduced populations of the widespread Argentine ant (Linepithema humile). We studied Argentine ant populations in the native range in Argentina and in three invaded regions along an introduction pathway: California, Australia and New Zealand. In each region, we set up 32 experimental colonies to measure foraging activity and interspecific aggression in a subset of the study regions. These colonies were subject to experimental manipulation of carbohydrate availability and octopamine, a biogenic amine known to modulate behaviour in insects, to measure variation in behavioural plasticity. We found variation in foraging activity among populations, but this variation was not consistent with selection on behaviour in relation to the invasion process. We found that colonies with limited access to carbohydrates exhibited unchanged exploratory behaviour, but higher exploitation activity and lower aggression. Colonies given octopamine consistently increased foraging behaviour (both exploration and exploitation), as well as aggression when also sugar-deprived. There was no difference in the degree of behavioural response to our experimental treatments along the introduction pathway. We did not find support for selection of behavioural traits associated with invasiveness along the Argentine ant's introduction pathway or clear evidence for an association between the introduction process and variation in behavioural plasticity. These results indicate that mechanisms promote behavioural variation in a similar fashion both in native and introduced ranges. Our results challenge the assumption that introduced populations always perform better in key behavioural traits hypothesised to be associated with invasion success.
A new species of scincid lizard in the genus Oligosoma (Reptilia: Scincidae) from the mid-Canterbury high country, New Zealand
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 31-01-2018
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4377.2.7
Abstract: New Zealand has a erse, endemic skink fauna, which is recognised as the most species rich skink assemblage of any cool temperate region on earth. All native New Zealand skink species are assigned to a single genus, Oligosoma Girard. A new species of Oligosoma is described from screes in montane tussock grassland in the mid-Canterbury high country, New Zealand, where it is currently known from four sites on two mountain ranges. The new species (Oligosoma hoparatea sp. nov.) can be distinguished from all congeners by a combination of mid-body scale row and lamellae counts, scale morphologies, and a bold striped pattern with smooth-edged, dark lateral bands. It is part of the O. longipes Patterson species complex, and occurs in sympatry with its closest relative, O. aff. longipes ‘southern’. The species is currently highly threatened, and is listed as Nationally Critical in New Zealand. Predation by a suite of introduced mammals is assumed to be a major threat to its survival.
Australian comparative phytogeography: A review
Publisher: CRC Press
Date: 06-01-2017
The conservation impacts of ecological disturbance: time‐bound estimates of population loss and recovery for fauna affected by the 2019–2020 Australian megafires
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2022
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13473
Abstract: After environmental disasters, species with large population losses may need urgent protection to prevent extinction and support recovery. Following the 2019–2020 Australian megafires, we estimated population losses and recovery in fire‐affected fauna, to inform conservation status assessments and management. Temperate and subtropical Australia. 2019–2030 and beyond. Australian terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates one invertebrate group. From 1,050 fire‐affected taxa, we selected 173 whose distributions substantially overlapped the fire extent. We estimated the proportion of each taxon’s distribution affected by fires, using fire severity and aquatic impact mapping, and new distribution mapping. Using expert elicitation informed by evidence of responses to previous wildfires, we estimated local population responses to fires of varying severity. We combined the spatial and elicitation data to estimate overall population loss and recovery trajectories, and thus indicate potential eligibility for listing as threatened, or uplisting, under Australian legislation. We estimate that the 2019–2020 Australian megafires caused, or contributed to, population declines that make 70–82 taxa eligible for listing as threatened and another 21–27 taxa eligible for uplisting. If so‐listed, this represents a 22–26% increase in Australian statutory lists of threatened terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates and spiny crayfish, and uplisting for 8–10% of threatened taxa. Such changes would cause an abrupt worsening of underlying trajectories in vertebrates, as measured by Red List Indices. We predict that 54–88% of 173 assessed taxa will not recover to pre‐fire population size within 10 years/three generations. We suggest the 2019–2020 Australian megafires have worsened the conservation prospects for many species. Of the 91 taxa recommended for listing/uplisting consideration, 84 are now under formal review through national processes. Improving predictions about taxon vulnerability with empirical data on population responses, reducing the likelihood of future catastrophic events and mitigating their impacts on bio ersity, are critical.
The impact of urbanization on learning ability in an invasive lizard
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 08-12-2016
Rock removal associated with agricultural intensification will exacerbate the loss of reptile diversity
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-05-2021
Abstract: Rocky environments host rich levels of bio ersity and provide vital habitat for specialised organisms, range‐restricted species and a broad range of ectotherms adapted to saxicoline environments. In Australia, rock habitat is being destroyed during soil amelioration practices associated with agricultural intensification. Advances in rock crushing technology, developed to expand or increase crop yields and efficiency, pose an undocumented threat to global bio ersity, especially reptiles dependent on non‐renewable rock habitat in agricultural landscapes. Rock removal is a legislated key threatening process in parts of Australia and will accelerate bio ersity loss if not mitigated. We estimated reptile species’ range overlap with dryland cropping and modified pastoral regions within the Australian wheat‐sheep zone to assess the potential impacts of rock crushing practices. We examined species‐ and family‐richness within the impact zone and across bioregions within the impact zone, to identify areas where rock removal has the greatest potential to impact terrestrial and fossorial squamates. Our analysis revealed that 159 potentially impacted reptile species occur within the study area, representing 16% of Australian terrestrial squamates. Fourteen of these species, including six threatened species, have more than 50% range overlap with areas of intensive agriculture, and include several endangered pygopodids, scincids and agamids. Bioregions rich in rock and burrow‐dwelling reptiles include the Brigalow Belt South, Murray Darling Depression, Darling Riverine Plains, Eyre Yorke Block, Avon Wheatbelt, Nandewar, Flinders Lofty Block and New South Wales South Western Slopes. Synthesis and applications . The conservation of reptiles in agricultural landscapes requires appropriate management and retention of surface rocks. Potential yield increases from destroying rock habitat to intensify or expand cropland will not compensate for the net loss of reptile populations dependent on non‐renewable resources. Financial incentives to prevent the expansion and transformation of non‐arable landscapes to cropland are required to prevent the ongoing loss of bio ersity.
Geographic variation in hybridization and ecological differentiation between three syntopic, morphologically similar species of montane lizards
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-05-2016
DOI: 10.1111/MEC.13652
Abstract: To understand factors shaping species boundaries in closely related taxa, a powerful approach is to compare levels of genetic admixture at multiple points of contact and determine how this relates to intrinsic and extrinsic factors, such as genetic, morphological and ecological differentiation. In the Australian Alps, the threatened alpine bog skink Pseudemoia cryodroma co-occurs with two morphologically and ecologically similar congeners, P. entrecasteauxii and P. pagenstecheri, and all three species are suspected to hybridize. We predicted that the frequency of hybridization should be negatively correlated with genetic ergence, morphological differentiation and microhabitat separation. We tested this hypothesis using a mitochondrial locus, 13 microsatellite loci, morphological and microhabitat data and compared results across three geographically isolated sites. Despite strong genetic structure between species, we detected hybridization between all species pairs, including evidence of backcrossed in iduals at the two sites where all three species are syntopic. Hybridization frequencies were not consistently associated with genetic, morphological or ecological differentiation. Furthermore, P. entrecasteauxii and P. pagenstecheri only hybridized at the two sites where they are syntopic with P. cryodroma, but not at the largest site where P. cryodroma was not recorded, suggesting that P. cryodroma may serve as a bridging species. This study reveals the complex dynamics within a three species hybrid zone and provides a baseline for assessing the impact of climate change and anthropogenic habitat modification on future hybridization frequencies.
Molecular phylogeography and systematics of the arid-zone members of the Egernia whitii (Lacertilia: Scincidae) species group
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2004
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2004.08.010
Abstract: We assembled a molecular phylogeny for the arid-zone members of the Egernia whitii species group to test Pianka's [Zoogeography and speciation of Australian desert lizards: an ecological perspective, Copeia (1972) 127-145] hypothesis that habitat specificity to the three major arid-zone vegetation communities is the primary cause of lizard speciation within the arid interior of Australia. This hypothesis predicts that species should exhibit phylogeographic structuring concordant with the major arid-zone vegetation types. Sequence data were obtained from four of the five arid-zone members of the E. whitii species group, and from across the ranges of the ecologically generalized E. inornata and E. multiscutata and the more specialized E. striata. We targeted a fragment (696 base pair (bp)) of the mitochondrial genome comprising the 3' half of the ND4 gene. We analysed the data using parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods. Our phylogeny confirms the monophyly of the arid-zone members of the species group, although the phylogenetic relationships among species were not fully resolved. Although our topology does not support the recognition of the existing subspecies within E. multiscutata, there is a substantial phylogeographic break between South Australian/Victorian (Clade 1) and Western Australian (Clade 2) populations. We found considerable phylogeographic structure within E. inornata, with six major clades identified. However, these clades were not concordant with the distribution of habitat types in the arid-zone. Phylogeographic structure was also observed in the more specialized E. striata, although our analysis revealed close phylogenetic affinities between the sympatric species E. striata and E. kintorei. Shimodaira-Hasegawa topology tests were equivocal in regard to whether the phylogeographic structure within E. striata was in accordance with Pianka's predictions. Although our data failed to provide strong support for the suggestion that ecological and habitat factors are responsible for the ersification of arid-zone lizards, most E. inornata and E. striata populations had similar habitats, indicating that adaptation to particular habitats may have some role in the speciation of lizards in the Australian arid-zone.
Distribution of energy reserves in a viviparous skink: Does tail autotomy involve the loss of lipid stores?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-09-2002
Is partial tail loss the key to a complete understanding of caudal autotomy?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-07-2012
A global analysis of viviparity in squamates highlights its prevalence in cold climates
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-10-2022
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13598
Abstract: Viviparity has evolved more times in squamates than in any other vertebrate group therefore, squamates offer an excellent model system in which to study the patterns, drivers and implications of reproductive mode evolution. Based on current species distributions, we examined three selective forces hypothesized to drive the evolution of squamate viviparity (cold climate, variable climate and hypoxic conditions) and tested whether viviparity is associated with larger body size. Global. Present day. Squamata. We compiled a dataset of 9061 squamate species, including their distributions, elevation, climate, body mass and reproductive modes. We applied species‐level and assemblage‐level approaches for predicting reproductive mode, both globally and within biogeographical realms. We tested the relationships of temperature, interannual and intra‐annual climatic variation, elevation (as a proxy for hypoxic conditions) and body mass with reproductive mode, using path analyses to account for correlations among the environmental predictors. Viviparity was strongly associated with cold climates at both species and assemblage levels, despite the prevalence of viviparity in some warm climates. Viviparity was not clearly correlated with climatic variability or elevation. The probability of being viviparous exhibited a weak positive correlation with body size. Although phylogenetic history is important, potentially explaining the occurrence of viviparous species in regions that are warm at present, current global squamate distribution is characterized by a higher relative abundance of viviparity in cold environments, supporting the prediction of the “cold‐climate” hypothesis. The roles of climatic variation and hypoxia are less important and not straightforward. Elevation probably exerts various selective pressures and influences the prevalence of viviparity primarily through its effect on temperature rather than on oxygen concentration.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the invasive delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata), with cross-amplification in other Australian Eugongylus group species
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-05-2009
Biases in the current knowledge of threat status in lizards, and bridging the ‘assessment gap’
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Strong bidirectional gene flow between fish lineages separated for over 100,000 years
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-10-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S10592-022-01476-0
Abstract: Restoring levels of genetic ersity in small and declining populations is increasingly being considered in bio ersity conservation. Evidence-based genetic management requires assessment of risks and benefits of crossing populations. Because risks are challenging to assess experimentally, e.g. through multi-generational crosses, decision-support approaches utilize proxy risk factors such as time since separation of lineages. However, the paucity of empirical datasets on fitness consequences of longer separation times tends to favour crossing lineages with conservatively short separations, restricting wildlife managers’ options. Here, we assessed the genetic outcomes of interbreeding in the wild between lineages of a threatened Australian freshwater fish (Macquarie perch) separated by an estimated 119,000–385,000 years of evolution in distinct environments. Fish belonging to the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) lineage escaped from Cataract Dam—into which they were translocated in ~ 1915—into the Cataract River, where they interbred with the local Hawkesbury-Nepean Basin (HNB) lineage. Analyses of reduced-representation genomic data revealed no evidence of genetic incompatibilities during interbreeding of the two lineages in the Cataract River: assignment to genotypic clusters indicated a spectrum of hybrid types including second generation hybrids and backcrosses to both parental lineages. Thus, no adverse effects were detected from genetic mixing of populations separated by 100,000 years. We are not advocating purposely crossing the two lineages for management purposes under present cost–benefit considerations, because there are currently sufficient intra-lineage source populations to beneficially mix. Instead, this study presents a useful calibration point: two morphologically different lineages evolved in different habitats for 119,000–385,000 years can successfully interbreed.
Traffic noise drives an immediate increase in call pitch in an urban frog
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-01-2021
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12866
Chemical cues and group association preferences in a subsocial cockroach, Panesthia australis
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1071/ZO09066
Abstract: An ability to recognise and discriminate between group and non-group members is essential for most group-living species. Several different sensory modalities may be utilised for social recognition, the most notable of which is olfaction. Among insects, members of the order Blattodea (cockroaches, termites) exhibit a erse range of social systems and provide an excellent model for examining the role of chemical communication in group discrimination. We experimentally tested the importance of chemical cues in the association preferences of the subsocial Australian wood-boring cockroach, Panesthia australis. Using a series of dichotomous choice trials, we found that in iduals preferred conspecific odour cues over those of an unscented peatmoss control. We then gave cockroaches a choice between the odour cues of cockroaches from different logs, and found that they did not exhibit a preference for the cues of in iduals from their own log versus those from different logs within the same locality. However, cockroaches exhibited a strong preference for cues taken from in iduals from a geographically distant population. Our findings suggest that P. australis engages in group discrimination, and that patterns of association may reflect an underlying preference for unfamiliar and/or genetically dissimilar in iduals in a species encumbered by restricted gene flow.
Habitat saturation promotes delayed dispersal in a social reptile
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 02-01-2017
Does the invasive plague skink (Lampropholis delicata) compete with native skink species in New Zealand?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-12-2021
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12984
The long unknown: Rediscovery of the long sunskink, Lampropholis elongata (Squamata: Scincidae)—After almost a decade, and after 50 years of data deficiency
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-03-2023
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.13314
Abstract: Conservation management cannot proceed in the absence of the basic ecological data necessary to develop conservation strategies for a species. Species considered Data Deficient and possibly extinct are poorly known, and are often overlooked in conservation planning. This is despite a growing body of evidence indicating that Data Deficient species are more likely to be threatened by extinction compared to well‐studied taxa. Hence, there is an immediate need to resolve data deficiency, and to search for species that are possibly extinct. Here, we conducted the first systematic search for a Data Deficient Australian skink, L ropholis elongata (long sunskink), which prior to our study, had not been seen for approximately 9 years. A combination of pitfall trapping and active searches was used in attempt to detect the species. We rediscovered L. elongata at four sites within its known distribution on the southern edge of the New England Tablelands Bioregion in New South Wales, Australia. Our findings suggest that the species can be detected relatively easily using active survey methods, especially by inspecting tussock bases. We further highlight that areas of high canopy openness and high cover of Poa sieberiana (grey tussock‐grass) appear to be key habitat for the species.
Scat on the doorstep: Refuge choice in a group‐living lizard is influenced by the presence of scat piles
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 27-02-2020
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12864
Conservation status of the world's skinks (Scincidae): Taxonomic and geographic patterns in extinction risk
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Phylogeography of the endangered Otago skink, Oligosoma otagense: population structure, hybridisation and genetic diversity in captive populations.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 12-04-2012
Comparative phylogeography reveals pre-decline population structure of New Zealand Cyclodina (Reptilia: Scincidae) species
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 02-10-2008
The effect of network size and sampling completeness in depauperate networks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-11-2019
Abstract: The accurate estimation of interaction network structure is essential for understanding network stability and function. A growing number of studies evaluate under-s ling as the degree of s ling completeness (proportional richness observed). How the relationship between network structural metrics and s ling completeness varies across networks of different sizes remains unclear, but this relationship has implications for the within- and between-system comparability of network structure. Here, we test the combined effects of network size and s ling completeness on the structure of spatially distinct networks (i.e., subwebs) in a host-parasitoid model system to better understand the within-system variability in metric bias. Richness estimates were used to quantify a gradient of s ling completeness of species and interactions across randomly subs led subwebs. The combined impacts of network size and s ling completeness on the estimated values of twelve unweighted and weighted network metrics were tested. The robustness of network metrics to under-s ling was strongly related to network size, and s ling completeness of interactions were generally a better predictor of metric bias than s ling completeness of species. Weighted metrics often performed better than unweighted metrics at low s ling completeness however, this was mainly evident at large rather than small subweb size. These outcomes highlight the significance of under-s ling for the comparability of both unweighted and weighted network metrics when networks are small and vary in size. This has implications for within-system comparability of species-poor networks and, more generally, reveals problems with under-s ling ecological networks that may otherwise be difficult to detect in species-rich networks. To mitigate the impacts of under-s ling, more careful considerations of system-specific variation in metric bias are needed.
Calibration of sampling techniques and determination of sample size for the estimation of egg and larval populations of Helicoverpa spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on irrigated soybean
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2005
Divergent introduction histories among invasive populations of the delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata): Has the importance of genetic admixture in the success of biological invasions been overemphasized?
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-05-2013
The conservation status of the world’s reptiles
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2013
Variation in thermal biology of three closely related lizard species along an elevation gradient
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 25-04-2019
Agonistic behavioural asymmetry in two species of montane lizard that exhibit elevational replacement
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-01-2021
Erosion of Lizard Diversity by Climate Change and Altered Thermal Niches
Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 14-05-2010
Abstract: Despite pessimistic forecasts from recent studies examining the effects of global climate change on species, and observed extinctions in local geographic areas, there is little evidence so far of global-scale extinctions. Sinervo et al. (p. 894 see the Perspective by Huey et al. ) find that extinctions resulting from climate change are currently reducing global lizard ersity. Climate records during the past century were synthesized with detailed surveys of Mexican species at 200 sites over the past 30 years. Temperature change has been so rapid in this region that rates of adaptation have not kept pace with climate change. The models were then extended to all families of lizards at sites across the globe, and suggest that climate change-induced extinctions are currently affecting worldwide lizard assemblages.
Temporal variation in thermal plasticity in a free-ranging subalpine lizard
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2020
Aggression mediates dispersal tendency in an invasive lizard
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2017
Modelled incubation conditions indicate wider potential distributions based on thermal requirements for an oviparous lizard
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-06-2018
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.13363
Analyses of extinction risk are an important part of the conservation process – Reply to Monks
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2013
Nest-site selection and the factors influencing hatching success and offspring phenotype in a nocturnal skink
Publisher: Brill
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003116
Abstract: Nest-site selection in ectothermic animals influences hatching success and offspring phenotype, and it is predicted that females should choose nesting sites that maximise their reproductive fitness, ultimately through the reproductive success of their offspring. We completed nest-site choice experiments on a nocturnal lizard, the egg-laying skink ( Oligosoma suteri ), to determine whether eggs (and subsequent hatchlings) from cooler nests do better at cooler incubation temperatures, and conversely if those laid in warmer nests perform better at warmer incubation temperatures. We provided a simple nest-choice experiment, with oviposition-retreat sites available in either a hot or a cool sector of the enclosure in the wild females nest under objects. Female O. suteri laid eggs both during the day and night, and nested more in the hot than cool sector. Eggs from each clutch were split across three egg incubation temperatures (18°C, 22°C, 26°C) to decouple the impact of initial nest-site choice from the subsequent incubation temperature regime. Whether eggs were initially laid in the hot or cool sector was not related to hatching success, offspring phenotype or offspring locomotor performance. We conclude that offspring phenotype and performance is primarily influenced by the temperature during incubation, rather than the initial thermal environment of the nest location. Thus, female O. suteri may select warmer nesting sites to ensure higher incubation temperature and enhanced offspring fitness.
Skinks of Oceania, New Guinea, and Eastern Wallacea: an underexplored biodiversity hotspot
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1071/PC22034
Evolution and maintenance of colour pattern polymorphism in Liopholis (Squamata : Scincidae)
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2008
DOI: 10.1071/ZO08040
Abstract: We examined the evolution and maintenance of colour pattern polymorphism in an Australian lineage of scincid lizards, the genus Liopholis. Liopholis comprises 11 species, with representatives in both the temperate zone and arid zone. Specimens from all major Australian museums were examined to characterise colour pattern polymorphism within Liopholis, and investigate geographic variation in the relative abundance of morphs within polymorphic species. We used a previously published phylogeny for Liopholis to investigate the evolution and maintenance of colour pattern polymorphism within the group. Five species were found to exhibit colour pattern polymorphism (L. margaretae margaretae Storr, L. m. personata Storr, L. montana Donnellan et al., L. multiscutata Mitchell & Behrndt, L. pulchra Werner, L. whitii Lacépède), with six species being monomorphic (L. guthega Donnellan et al., L. inornata Rosén, L. kintorei Stirling & Zietz, L. modesta Storr, L. slateri Storr, L. striata Sternfeld). Three colour morphs occur in L. whitii, with the relative abundance of each varying significantly among latitudes. The patterned morph is most common, while the incidence of the plain-back morph decreases at latitudes higher than 35°S. The L. whitii patternless morph occurs only within a narrow latitudinal band (34–38°S). In L. multiscutata, the relative abundance of the patterned (~89–93%) and patternless morph (~7–11%) is consistent across regions, except for the Nullarbor Plain region where the patternless morph is more common (~39%). Our analyses suggest a single origin of colour pattern polymorphism in Liopholis, followed by the subsequent loss of polymorphism on four occasions. The secondary loss of polymorphism might be associated with climate or habitat, possibly as the result of shifts into the arid zone or alpine regions of Australia. This study provides the necessary framework for future studies of colour pattern polymorphism in Liopholis.
Reptiles as food: predation of Australian reptiles by introduced red foxes compounds and complements predation by cats
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 14-07-2021
DOI: 10.1071/WR20194
Abstract: Context Invasive species are a major cause of bio ersity loss across much of the world, and a key threat to Australia’s erse reptile fauna. There has been no previous comprehensive analysis of the potential impact of the introduced European red fox, Vulpes vulpes, on Australian reptiles. Aims We seek to provide an inventory of all Australian reptile species known to be consumed by the fox, and identify characteristics of squamate species associated with such predation. We also compare these tallies and characteristics with reptile species known to be consumed by the domestic cat, Felis catus, to examine whether predation by these two introduced species is compounded (i.e. affecting much the same set of species) or complementary (affecting different groups of species). Methods We collated records of Australian reptiles consumed by foxes in Australia, with most records deriving from fox dietary studies (tallying 000 s les). We modelled presence or absence of fox predation records against a set of biological and other traits, and population trends, for squamate species. Key results In total, 108 reptile species (~11% of Australia’s terrestrial reptile fauna) have been recorded as consumed by foxes, fewer than that reported for cats (263 species). Eighty-six species have been reported to be eaten by both predators. More Australian turtle species have been reported as consumed by foxes than by cats, including many that suffer high levels of predation on egg clutches. Twenty threatened reptile species have been reported as consumed by foxes, and 15 by cats. Squamate species consumed by foxes are more likely to be undergoing population decline than those not known to be consumed by foxes. The likelihood of predation by foxes increased with squamate species’ adult body mass, in contrast to the relationship for predation by cats, which peaked at ~217 g. Foxes, but not cats, were also less likely to consume venomous snakes. Conclusions The two introduced, and now widespread, predators have both compounding and complementary impacts on the Australian reptile fauna. Implications Enhanced and integrated management of the two introduced predators is likely to provide substantial conservation benefits to much of the Australian reptile fauna.
Lost and found: Taxonomic revision of the speckled skink (Oligosoma infrapunctatum; Reptilia; Scincidae) species complex from New Zealand reveals a potential cryptic extinction, resurrection of two species, and description of three new species
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 26-06-2019
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4623.3.2
Abstract: New Zealand has a erse skink fauna, comprising 45 described native species, and at least 15 undescribed taxa, within the single genus Oligosoma Girard, 1857. One of the earliest described, and best known, species is the speckled skink, Oligosoma infrapunctatum (Boulenger 1887). Despite a relatively stable taxonomic history for nearly 114 years, recent molecular work has indicated that O. infrapunctatum represents a species complex, comprising numerous genetically ergent, range restricted taxa. We completed the first stage of a taxonomic revision of O. infrapunctatum, conducting a morphological re-evaluation of existing voucher material, and newly collected specimens, and generated a molecular phylogeny for the species complex. This allowed us to distinguish six species: O. infrapunctatum, two species resurrected from synonymy (O. newmani, O. robinsoni), and three new species (O. salmo sp. nov., O. albornense sp. nov. O. auroraensis sp. nov.). The name bearing type population of O. infrapunctatum has not been located again for at least 130 years: it remains to be rediscovered and may already be extinct. Two of the six species here are considered ‘Nationally Critical’ (O. albornense sp. nov., O. salmo sp. nov.) under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, the others are Nationally Vulnerable (O. auroraensis sp. nov.) and At Risk—Relict (O. newmani, O. robinsoni). Further taxonomic work will be required to determine the taxonomy of other speckled skink genetic lineages in the South Island, particularly O. aff. infrapunctatum “cobble”, O. “Hokitika”, O. “Southern North Island” and O. “Westport”.
Addressing knowledge gaps in reptile conservation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2016
Global Protected Areas as refuges for amphibians and reptiles under climate change
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 13-03-2023
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-023-36987-Y
Abstract: Protected Areas (PAs) are the cornerstone of bio ersity conservation. Here, we collated distributional data for ,000 (~70% of) species of hibians and reptiles (herpetofauna) to perform a global assessment of the conservation effectiveness of PAs using species distribution models. Our analyses reveal that % of herpetofauna species are currently distributed in PAs, and that this proportion will remain unaltered under future climate change. Indeed, loss of species’ distributional ranges will be lower inside PAs than outside them. Therefore, the proportion of effectively protected species is predicted to increase. However, over 7.8% of species currently occur outside PAs, and large spatial conservation gaps remain, mainly across tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and across non-high-income countries. We also predict that more than 300 hibian and 500 reptile species may go extinct under climate change over the course of the ongoing century. Our study highlights the importance of PAs in providing herpetofauna with refuge from climate change, and suggests ways to optimize PAs to better conserve bio ersity worldwide.
Native and introduced Argentine ant populations are characterised by distinct transcriptomic signatures associated with behaviour and immunity
Publisher: Pensoft Publishers
Date: 19-08-2019
DOI: 10.3897/NEOBIOTA.49.36086
Abstract: Biological invasions can be influenced by trait variation in the invader, such as behavioural traits and ecological factors, such as variation in pathogen pressure. High-throughput nucleotide sequencing has increased our capacity to investigate the genomic basis of the functional changes associated with biological invasions. Here, we used RNA-sequencing in Argentina and California, Australia and New Zealand to investigate if native and introduced Argentine ant populations were characterised by distinct transcriptomic signatures. We focused our analysis on viral pressure and immunity, as well as genes associated with biogenic amines known to modulate key behaviour in social insects. Using a combination of differential expression analysis, gene co-expression network analysis and candidate gene approach, we show that native and introduced populations have distinct transcriptomic signatures. Genes associated with biogenic amines were overall up-regulated in the native range compared to introduced populations. Although we found no significant variation in overall viral loads amongst regions for viruses known to infect Argentine ants, viral ersity was lower in most of the introduced range which was interestingly associated with down-regulation of the RNAi immune pathway, primarily directed against viruses. Altogether, our data show that Argentine ant populations exhibit range-specific transcriptomic signatures, perhaps reflecting regional adaptations that may contribute to the ecological success of introduced populations.
Linking physiology and climate to infer species distributions in Australian skinks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-09-2023
The Future of New Zealand Lizard Research
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
Intraspecific behavioral variation is important in both deliberate and unintentional species introductions: Response to Carrete et al.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2012
Origin, Spread and Biology of the Invasive Plague Skink (Lampropholis delicata) in New Zealand
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
It's a trap: Sampling bias due to animal personality is not always inevitable
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 03-08-2016
Parallel adaptive radiations in arid and temperate Australia: Molecular phylogeography and systematics of the Egernia whitii (Lacertilia: Scincidae) species group
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 30-09-2004
Phylogeography and taxonomic revision of the New Zealand cryptic skink (Oligosoma inconspicuum; Reptilia: Scincidae) species complex
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 03-03-2011
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.2782.1.1
Abstract: The New Zealand skink fauna is highly erse and contains numerous cryptic, undescribed or hitherto undiscovered species. We completed a taxonomic revision of the cryptic skink (Oligosoma inconspicuum) species complex using molecular (550 bp of the ND2 mitochondrial gene) and morphological analyses. Four new species are described, with each diagnosable by a range of morphological characters and genetic differentiation from several closely related species: O. inconspicuum (sensu stricto), O. notosaurus, O. maccanni, O. stenotis and O. grande. Oligosoma tekakahu sp. nov. is restricted to Chalky Island in Fiordland, and is most closely related to O. inconspicuum and O. notosaurus. The other three new species are restricted to particular mountainous regions in central and western Otago (O. burganae sp. nov., Lammermoor and Rock and Pillar Ranges O. toka sp. nov., Nevis Valley O. repens sp. nov., Eyre Mountains) and are most closely related to O. stenotis and O. grande. We also re-described O. inconspicuum. Two proposed new taxa, the ‘Big Bay’ skink and ‘Mahogany’ skink, were found to represent Westland/Fiordland populations of O. inconspicuum rather than distinct taxa. We discuss the evolutionary and phylogeographic implications of cryptic and ‘anti-cryptic’ species within the O. inconspicuum species complex, and suggest that morphologically aberrant populations are the result of local adaptation to novel selective regimes.
Spatial variation in the climatic predictors of species compositional turnover and endemism
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-07-2014
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.1156
Genetic divergences pre-date Pleistocene glacial cycles in the New Zealand speckled skink, Oligosoma infrapunctatum
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 31-01-2008
Ecomorphological correlates of inner ear shape in Australian limb-reduced skinks (Scincidae: Sphenomorphini)
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 09-08-2023
DOI: 10.1093/ZOOLINNEAN/ZLAD074
Abstract: The inner ear labyrinth is an organ able to perceive balance and spatial orientation, but the drivers of its morphological variation across and within vertebrate lineages are unclear. We assess two competing hypotheses whether this organ, and specifically the semicircular canals, modifies its shape as a functional adaptation to ecology and locomotion, or according to the constraints of skull morphology. We test these using 52 species of Australian sphenomorphines, a group of scincid lizards that evolved changes in body shape and locomotory adaptations to fossoriality multiple times independently, by reducing their limbs. We find a correlation between semicircular canal shape and degree of limb reduction in these lizards, supporting a functional hypothesis. The interaction between body shape and substrate ecology is also a significant predictor. The wider and more eccentric semicircular canals of limb-reduced skinks indicate higher balance sensitivity and manoeuvrability compared with fully limbed skinks, probably as an adaptation to navigating cluttered environments. Conversely, our results show only a minimal influence of skull constraints on semicircular canal shape, having instead significant effects on size. This supports the hypothesis that in these skinks inner ear shape evolution is driven by specific locomotory strategies more than it is constrained by cranial anatomy.
Using multiple sources during reintroduction of a locally extinct population benefits survival and reproduction of an endangered freshwater fish
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-12-2020
DOI: 10.1111/EVA.13173
Abstract: Through using different sources, population reintroductions can create genetically erse populations at low risk of harmful inbreeding and well equipped for adaptation to future environments. Genetic variation from one source can mask locally nonoptimal alleles from another, thereby enhancing adaptive potential and population persistence. We assessed the outcomes in survival, growth and reproduction of using two differentiated sources (genetically erse Yarra and moderately erse Dartmouth) for translocations and stocking to reintroduce the endangered Australian freshwater Macquarie perch Macquaria australasica into the Ovens River. For stocking, same‐ and different‐population parents (“cross‐types”) were used during hatchery production. Genetic s les and data on in idual fish were collected over three years of monitoring the Ovens. We genetically assigned Ovens fish to their broodstock parents and tested whether cross‐type and genetic dissimilarity between parents are associated with offspring survival, and whether cross‐type and parental dissimilarity or in idual genetic ersity are associated with somatic growth rates of stocked fish. We genetically identified translocated fish and assessed local recruit ancestry. Of 296 Ovens fish, 31.1% were inferred to be stocked, 1.3% translocated and 67.6% locally born. Cross‐type strongly predicted survival of stocked offspring: those with two Yarra parents had the highest survival, followed by offspring with two‐population, then Dartmouth, ancestry. Of the Ovens recruits, 59.5% had Yarra, 33.5% two‐population and 7.0% Dartmouth ancestry, despite 67% of stocked and 98% of translocated fish originating from Dartmouth. Offspring with two Yarra parents grew faster than offspring of Dartmouth or two‐population ancestry. Although Dartmouth fish appear to be less fit in the Ovens compared to Yarra fish, possibly due to deleterious variation or genetic or plastic maladaptation, they contribute to the reintroduced population through local interbreeding with Yarra fish and relatively high survival of stocked offspring of two‐population ancestry. Thus, combining compatible stocks is likely to benefit restoration of other wildlife populations.
Origin and post-colonization evolution of the Chatham Islands skink (Oligosoma nigriplantare nigriplantare)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2008
The effect of skin reflectance on thermal traits in a small heliothermic ectotherm
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2020
DOI: 10.1016/J.JTHERBIO.2016.06.013
Abstract: Variation in colour patterning is prevalent among and within species. A number of theories have been proposed in explaining its evolution. Because solar radiation interacts with the pigmentation of the integument causing light to either be reflected or absorbed into the body, thermoregulation has been considered to be a primary selective agent, particularly among ectotherms. Accordingly, the colour-mediated thermoregulatory hypothesis states that darker in iduals will heat faster and reach higher thermal equilibria while paler in iduals will have the opposite traits. It was further predicted that dark colouration would promote slower cooling rates and higher thermal performance temperatures. To test these hypotheses we quantified the reflectance, selected body temperatures, performance optima, as well as heating and cooling rates of an ectothermic vertebrate, L ropholis delicata. Our results indicated that colour had no influence on thermal physiology, as all thermal traits were uncorrelated with reflectance. We suggest that crypsis may instead be the stronger selective agent as it may have a more direct impact on fitness. Our study has improved our knowledge of the functional differences among in iduals with different colour patterns, and the evolutionary significance of morphological variation within species.
Impacts of caudal autotomy on personality
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2020
Phylogeography of two New Zealand lizards: McCann’s skink (Oligosoma maccanni) and the brown skink (O. zelandicum)
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2008
DOI: 10.1016/J.YMPEV.2008.05.008
Abstract: The New Zealand skink fauna has proven to be an ideal taxonomic group in which to examine the impact of climatic and geological processes on the evolution of the New Zealand biota since the Pliocene. Here we examine the phylogeography of McCann's skink (Oligosoma maccanni) in order to gain insight into the relative contribution of Pliocene and Pleistocene processes on patterns of genetic structure in the South Island biota, and investigate the phylogeography of the brown skink (O. zelandicum) to examine whether Cook Strait landbridges facilitated geneflow between the North and South Islands in the late-Pleistocene. We obtained mitochondrial DNA sequence data (ND2 and ND4 1282bp) from across the range of both species. We examined the phylogeographic patterns evident in each species using Neighbour-Joining, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods. We found substantial phylogeographic structure within O. maccanni, with seven distinct clades identified. Divergences among clades are estimated to have occurred during the Pliocene. Populations in the Otago/Southland region (south of the Waitaki River valley) formed a well-supported lineage within O. maccanni. A substantial genetic break was evident between populations in east and west Otago, either side of the Nevis-Cardrona fault system, while north-south genetic breaks were evident within the Canterbury region. Within-clade ergences in O. maccanni appear to have occurred during the mid- to late-Pleistocene. Shimodaira-Hasegawa topology tests indicated that the 'Garston' skink is not genetically distinct from O. maccanni. There was only relatively minor phylogeographic structure within O. zelandicum, with ergences among populations occurring during the mid- to late-Pleistocene. Our genetic data supports a single colonisation of the North Island by O. zelandicum from the South Island, with the estimated timing of this event (0.46mya) consistent with the initial formation of Cook Strait.
<strong>Taxonomic revision of the ornate skink (<em>Oligosoma</em> <em>ornatum</em>; Reptilia: Scincidae) species complex from northern New Zealand</strong>
Publisher: Magnolia Press
Date: 11-11-2013
DOI: 10.11646/ZOOTAXA.3736.1.2
Abstract: Although the New Zealand skink fauna is known to be highly erse, a substantial proportion of the recognised species remain undescribed. We completed a taxonomic revision of the ornate skink (Oligosoma ornatum (Gray, 1843)) as a previous molecular study indicated that it represented a species complex. As part of this work we have resolved some nomenclatural issues involving this species and a similar species, O. aeneum (Girard, 1857). A new skink species, Oligosoma roimata sp. nov., is described from the Poor Knights Islands, off the northeast coast of the North Island of New Zealand. This species is diagnosed by a range of morphological characters and genetic differentiation from O. ornatum. The conservation status of the new taxon appears to be of concern as it is endemic to the Poor Knights Islands and has rarely been seen over the past two decades.
Substantial genetic substructuring in southeastern and alpine Australia revealed by molecular phylogeography of the Egernia whitii (Lacertilia: Scincidae) species group
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-03-2005
Complex mating system and dispersal patterns in a social lizard, Egernia whitii
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-03-2005
Demographic and life history variation in two sky-island populations of an endangered alpine lizard
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 19-08-2020
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12728
The escalating global problem of accidental human-mediated transport of alien species: A case study using alien herpetofauna interceptions in New Zealand
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2023
Impact of Tail Loss on the Behaviour and Locomotor Performance of Two Sympatric Lampropholis Skink Species
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 16-04-2012
The influence of urbanization on the behaviour of an A ustralian lizard and the presence of an activity–exploratory behavioural syndrome
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-08-2015
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.12288
Biosecurity interceptions of an invasive lizard: origin of stowaways and human-assisted spread within New Zealand
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-09-2013
DOI: 10.1111/EVA.12002
Taxonomic revision of the marbled skink (Cyclodina oliveri, Reptilia: Scincidae) species complex, with a description of a new species
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2008
A farewell to arms and legs: a review of limb reduction in squamates
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-02-2021
DOI: 10.1111/BRV.12690
Quantifying maladaptation during the evolution of sexual dimorphism
Publisher: The Royal Society
Date: 14-08-2019
Abstract: Females and males have distinct trait optima, resulting in selection for sexual dimorphism. However, most traits have strong cross-sex genetic correlations, which constrain evolutionary ergence between the sexes and lead to protracted periods of maladaptation during the evolution of sexual dimorphism. While such constraints are thought to be costly in terms of in idual and population fitness, it remains unclear how severe such costs are likely to be. Building upon classical models for the ‘cost of selection’ in changing environments ( sensu Haldane), we derived a theoretical expression for the analogous cost of evolving sexual dimorphism this cost is a simple function of genetic (co)variances of female and male traits and sex differences in trait optima. We then conducted a comprehensive literature search, compiled quantitative genetic data from a erse set of traits and populations, and used them to quantify costs of sexual dimorphism in the light of our model. For roughly 90% of traits, costs of sexual dimorphism appear to be modest, and comparable to the costs of fixing one or a few beneficial substitutions. For the remaining traits (approx. 10%), sexual dimorphism appears to carry a substantial cost—potentially orders of magnitude greater than costs of selection during adaptation to environmental changes.
Density is more important than predation risk for predicting growth and developmental outcomes in tadpoles of spotted tree frog, Litoria spenceri (Dubois 1984)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-08-2019
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12807
Transport of small and neutral solutes through reverse osmosis membranes: Role of skin layer conformation of the polyamide film
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
Overview of the Spirit Mars Exploration Rover Mission to Gusev Crater: Landing site to Backstay Rock in the Columbia Hills
Publisher: American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Date: 06-01-2006
DOI: 10.1029/2005JE002499
Genetic structure, diversity and distribution of a threatened lizard affected by widespread habitat fragmentation
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 25-10-2021
Environmental correlates of morphological diversity in Australian geckos
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-03-2021
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13284
Integrating thermal physiology within a syndrome
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-01-2018
Thermal physiology
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-07-2017
Abstract: Current syndrome research focuses primarily on behaviour with few incorporating components of physiology. One such syndrome is the pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) which describes covariation between behaviour, metabolism, immunity, hormonal response, and life-history traits. Despite the strong effect temperature has on behaviour, thermal physiology has yet to be considered within this syndrome framework. We proposed the POLS to be extended to include a new dimension, the cold-hot axis. Under this premise, it is predicted that thermal physiology and behaviour would covary, whereby in idual positioning along the thermal continuum would coincide with that of the behavioural continuum. This hypothesis was tested by measuring thermal traits of delicate skinks (L ropholis delicata) and linking it to their behaviour. Principal components analysis and structural equation modelling were used to determine if traits were structured within the POLS and to characterize the direction of their interactions. Model results supported the inclusion of the cold-hot axis into the POLS and indicated that thermal physiology was the driver of this relationship, in that thermal traits either constrained or promoted activity, exploration, boldness and social behaviour. This study highlights the need to integrate thermal physiology within a syndrome framework.
Does personality influence learning? A case study in an invasive lizard
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-06-0001
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-017-3975-4
Abstract: Learning is a change in state resulting from new experiences enabling behavioural responses to be adjusted in alignment with external cues. In iduals differ in the speed and accuracy at which they learn. Personality has been postulated as being a major influence on learning ability in terms of attention and encounter rates of environmental cues. This link forms the basis of the cognitive style hypothesis (CSH), predicting that an in idual's cognitive style will occur along a fast-slow behavioural gradient. Fast types are characterised as being active, neophilic, and bold in iduals who s le their environment rapidly, yet superficially, enabling learning to occur at a higher speed, but at the cost of accuracy. Slow types have the opposite suite of personality traits resulting in them being more accurate flexible learners. Greater level of learning flexibility is thought to help promote invasions success. Here, we test the predictions of the CSH in an invasive lizard (L ropholis delicata) to determine if personality dictates learning performance in a two-phase associative task. Results indicated that the delicate skink was capable of learning an associative task but only provided partial support for the CSH. Personality was found to influence learning accuracy, however, the direction of that relationship was opposite to that predicted. Instead, fast lizards made fewer mistakes when learning to associate a colour to a goal. These findings highlight the need to further investigate the CSH across taxa and consider its potential as an underlying mechanism of the invasion process.
A SINE of restricted gene flow across the Alpine Fault: phylogeography of the New Zealand common skink (Oligosoma nigriplantare polychroma)
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-2008
Identifying the abiotic factors that determine the inland range limits of a mesic-adapted lizard species
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-10-2023
DOI: 10.1093/ICB/ICAD124
Ecophysiology of a small ectotherm tracks environmental variation along an elevational cline
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-01-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14311
Abstract: Physiological responses to climate can be used to quantify the environmental limits that a species can tolerate and are, therefore, key to biogeographical studies. Several ecophysiological responses to climatic factors may shape the distribution of species, but our knowledge is mostly centred in thermal ecophysiology. We applied an integrative approach to investigate how ecophysiological responses of a small ectotherm are modulated by climatic variation across an elevational gradient. Victoria, Australia. L ropholis guichenoti (Scincidae, Squamata). We examined metabolic rate, evaporative water loss, thermal physiology and locomotor performance, of four populations of the skink L ropholis guichenoti across an elevational gradient in Australia (17–1546 m). We applied biophysical modelling to test how behaviour impacts the survival and activity of these skinks. Populations from the lowlands had lower metabolic rates and evaporative water loss, lower thermal preferences, higher optimal temperatures and increased locomotor performance compared populations from high elevations. Biophysical models revealed that behaviour allows skinks from high elevation to maintain their body temperatures above freezing and is key to determining activity patterns. Our holistic study shows that a combination of physiological and behavioural responses allows ectotherms to survive in different climatic environments. The interplay between physiology and behaviour can help to explain how climate sets limits for the geographical range of ectotherms.
Egernia lizards
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 07-2015
DOI: 10.1016/J.CUB.2015.02.070
Abstract: While et al's quick guide to Egernia lizards, a group of social lizards from Austalasia.
Variable vulnerability to climate change in New Zealand lizards
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-01-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14314
Abstract: The primary drivers of species and population extirpations have been habitat loss, overexploitation and invasive species, but human‐mediated climate change is expected to be a major driver in future. To minimise bio ersity loss, conservation managers should identify species vulnerable to climate change and prioritise their protection. Here, we estimate climatic suitability for two species‐rich taxonomic groups, then use phylogenetic analyses to assess vulnerability to climate change. Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). NZ lizards: diplodactylid geckos and eugongylinae skinks. We built correlative species distribution models (SDMs) for NZ geckos and skinks to estimate climatic suitability under current climate and 2070 future climate scenarios. We then used Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models (BPMMs) to assess vulnerability for both groups with predictor variables for life‐history traits (body size and activity phase) and current distribution (elevation and latitude). We explored two scenarios: an unlimited dispersal scenario, where projections track climate, and a no‐dispersal scenario, where projections are restricted to areas currently identified as suitable. SDMs projected vulnerability to climate change for most modelled lizards. For species' ranges projected to decline in climatically suitable areas, average decreases were between 42% and 46% for geckos and 33% and 52% for skinks, although area did increase or remain stable for a minority of species. For the no‐dispersal scenario, the average decrease for geckos was 37%–52% and for skinks was 33%–52%. Our BPMMs showed phylogenetic signal in climate change vulnerability for both groups, with elevation increasing vulnerability for geckos, and body size reducing vulnerability for skinks. New Zealand lizards showed variable vulnerability to climate change, with most species' ranges predicted to decrease. For species whose suitable climatic space is projected to disappear from within their current range, managed relocation could be considered to establish populations in regions that will be suitable under future climates.
Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 21-07-2021
DOI: 10.1111/COBI.13756
Abstract: Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a "Green List of Species" (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species' progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species' viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing erse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species' recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard.
Rapid shifts in behavioural traits during a recent fish invasion
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-2021
Erratum: An integrated view of the chemistry and mineralogy of martian soils
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-2005
DOI: 10.1038/NATURE04042
Behavioral syndromes vary among geographically distinct populations in a reptile
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 19-12-2018
Effect of Tail Loss on Sprint Speed and Growth in Newborn Skinks, Niveoscincus metallicus
Publisher: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Date: 03-2004
DOI: 10.1670/128-03N
Academic Productivity of Young People With Allergic Rhinitis: A MASK-air Study
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.JAIP.2022.08.015
Abstract: Several studies have suggested an impact of allergic rhinitis on academic productivity. However, large studies with real-world data (RWD) are not available. To use RWD to assess the impact of allergic rhinitis on academic performance (measured through a visual analog scale [VAS] education and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire plus Classroom Impairment Questions: Allergy Specific [WPAI+CIQ:AS] questionnaire), and to identify factors associated with the impact of allergic rhinitis on academic performance. We assessed data from the MASK-air mHealth app of users aged 13 to 29 years with allergic rhinitis. We assessed the correlation between variables measuring the impact of allergies on academic performance (VAS education, WPAI+CIQ:AS impact of allergy symptoms on academic performance, and WPAI+CIQ:AS percentage of education hours lost due to allergies) and other variables. In addition, we identified factors associated with the impact of allergic symptoms on academic productivity through multivariable mixed models. A total of 13,454 days (from 1970 patients) were studied. VAS education was strongly correlated with the WPAI+CIQ:AS impact of allergy symptoms on academic productivity (Spearman correlation coefficient = 0.71 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.58 0.80]), VAS global allergy symptoms (0.70 [95% CI = 0.68 0.71]), and VAS nose (0.66 [95% CI = 0.65 0.68]). In multivariable regression models, immunotherapy showed a strong negative association with VAS education (regression coefficient = -2.32 [95% CI = -4.04 -0.59]). Poor rhinitis control, measured by the combined symptom-medication score, was associated with worse VAS education (regression coefficient = 0.88 [95% CI = 0.88 0.92]), higher impact on academic productivity (regression coefficient = 0.69 [95% CI = 0.49 0.90]), and higher percentage of missed education hours due to allergy (regression coefficient = 0.44 [95% CI = 0.25 0.63]). Allergy symptoms and worse rhinitis control are associated with worse academic productivity, whereas immunotherapy is associated with higher productivity.
Phylogeographic divergence in the widespread delicate skink (Lampropholis delicata) corresponds to dry habitat barriers in eastern Australia
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-07-2011
Decline in lizard species diversity, abundance and ectoparasite load across an elevational gradient in the Australian alps
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-09-2020
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12951
A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb‐reduced skinks
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-05-2022
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.14392
Abstract: Limb‐reduced squamates are a convenient model system to investigate macroevolutionary trends in morphology. Here, we provide morphological, ecological and literature data on all known species of limb‐reduced skinks (Scincidae) and their relatives, representing one of the most erse and widely distributed groups of limb‐reduced squamates. Global. Skinks (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Limb‐reduced forms. Morphological data were sourced from the primary literature, spanning a period of over 150 years. Linear body measurements were averaged across all values in the literature, preserving proportionality to body length. For digits and presacral vertebrae, we used maximum recorded counts. Ecological and biogeographical data were sourced from habitat assessments in the primary literature, online databases and field guides. Literature data were sorted according to type of study. To exemplify the applicability of the database, we used Markov‐chain ordered models to estimate the evolutionary frequency of limb reduction and loss in skinks. We find evidence of limb reduction and loss in a total of 394 species worldwide, representing ~23% of all skink species, and ~30% of genera. The distribution of limb‐reduced and limbless forms differs from that of fully limbed forms, as they are present in all biogeographic realms with the almost complete exclusion of the Americas. We estimate that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times in skinks, and that loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times. The dataset captures a broad spectrum of morphological and ecological variation in a large, globally distributed taxonomic group. It establishes a widely applicable definition of limb reduction based on limb proportions as a reference for future studies. Such an extensive collection of morphological and ecological data can pave the way for investigations of dramatic morphological transitions and their ecological drivers at a global and local scale.
Putting a Name to Diversity: Taxonomy of the New Zealand Lizard Fauna
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
Biogeography of New Zealand Lizards
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
The Ecology of New Zealand’s Lizards
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
Conserved ecophysiology despite disparate microclimatic conditions in a gecko
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-12-2021
DOI: 10.1002/JEZ.2568
Abstract: Microscale differences in the habitats organisms occupy can influence selection regimes and promote intraspecific variation of traits. Temperature‐dependent traits can be locally adapted to climatic conditions or be highly conserved and insensitive to directional selection under all but the most extreme regimes, and thus be similar across populations. The opposing slopes of Nahal Oren canyon in the Carmel Mountains, Israel, are strikingly different: the south‐facing slope receives intensive solar radiation, is hot and supports mostly annual vegetation, whereas the north‐facing slope is ~10°C cooler, more humid, and supports Mediterranean woodland. We examined whether these differences manifest in the thermal physiology of a common gecko species Ptyodactylus guttatus in controlled laboratory conditions. We predicted that geckos from the hotter south‐facing slope would prefer higher temperatures, have faster gut passage times, lower metabolic and evaporative water loss rates, and start diel activity earlier compared with north‐facing slope conspecifics. Contrary to these predictions, there were no differences between any of the ecophysiological traits in geckos from the opposing slopes. Nevertheless, our data showed that in iduals from the north‐facing slope were generally more active in earlier hours of the afternoon compared with south‐facing in iduals. We suggest that P. guttatus in iduals disperse between the slopes and either gene‐flow or behavioral plasticity deter local adaptation, resulting in similar physiological traits. Perhaps a stronger contrast in climatic conditions and a stronger barrier are needed to result in interpopulation ergence in temperature‐dependent traits.
An integrated view of the chemistry and mineralogy of martian soils
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-07-2005
DOI: 10.1038/NATURE03637
Abstract: The mineralogical and elemental compositions of the martian soil are indicators of chemical and physical weathering processes. Using data from the Mars Exploration Rovers, we show that bright dust deposits on opposite sides of the planet are part of a global unit and not dominated by the composition of local rocks. Dark soil deposits at both sites have similar basaltic mineralogies, and could reflect either a global component or the general similarity in the compositions of the rocks from which they were derived. Increased levels of bromine are consistent with mobilization of soluble salts by thin films of liquid water, but the presence of olivine in analysed soil s les indicates that the extent of aqueous alteration of soils has been limited. Nickel abundances are enhanced at the immediate surface and indicate that the upper few millimetres of soil could contain up to one per cent meteoritic material.
Population differences in the effect of context on personality in an invasive lizard
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-09-2021
Abstract: Within populations, in iduals often differ consistently in their average level of behavior (i.e., animal personality), as well as their response to environmental change (i.e., behavioral plasticity). Thus, changes in environmental conditions might be expected to mediate the structure of animal personality traits. However, it is currently not well understood how personality traits change in response to environmental conditions, and whether this effect is consistent across multiple populations within the same species. Accordingly, we investigated variation in personality traits across two ecological contexts in the invasive delicate skink (L ropholis delicata). Specifically, lizards from three different populations were repeatedly measured for in idual activity in group behavioral assays under differing levels of food availability. We found that environmental context had a clear effect on the structure of lizard personality, where activity rates were not repeatable in the absence of food, but were repeatable in the presence of food resources. The difference in repeatability of activity rates across contexts appeared to be largely driven by an increase in among-in idual variance when tested in the presence of food resources. However, this was only true for one of the populations tested, with food context having no effect on the expression of personality traits in the other two populations. Our results highlight the important role of environmental context in mediating the structure of animal personality traits and suggest that this effect may vary among populations.
Synthesising Our Current Knowledge of New Zealand Lizards
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2016
A return-on-investment approach for prioritization of rigorous taxonomic research needed to inform responses to the biodiversity crisis
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 06-2021
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PBIO.3001210
Abstract: Global bio ersity loss is a profound consequence of human activity. Disturbingly, bio ersity loss is greater than realized because of the unknown number of undocumented species. Conservation fundamentally relies on taxonomic recognition of species, but only a fraction of bio ersity is described. Here, we provide a new quantitative approach for prioritizing rigorous taxonomic research for conservation. We implement this approach in a highly erse vertebrate group—Australian lizards and snakes. Of 870 species assessed, we identified 282 (32.4%) with taxonomic uncertainty, of which 17.6% likely comprise undescribed species of conservation concern. We identify 24 species in need of immediate taxonomic attention to facilitate conservation. Using a broadly applicable return-on-investment framework, we demonstrate the importance of prioritizing the fundamental work of identifying species before they are lost.
A comparative study of cell growth on a cold sprayed Ti–Ta composite
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2020
Automated assessment reveals extinction risk of reptiles is widely underestimated across space and phylogeny
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 22-01-2022
DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.19.477028
Abstract: The Red List of Threatened Species, published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is a crucial tool for conservation decision making. However, despite substantial effort, numerous species remain unassessed, or have insufficient data available to be assigned a Red List threat category. Moreover, the Red Listing process is subject to various sources of uncertainty and bias. The development of robust automated assessment methods could serve as an efficient and highly useful tool to accelerate the assessment process and offer provisional assessments. Here we aimed to: 1) present a machine learning based automated threat assessment method that can be used on less known species 2) offer provisional assessments for all reptiles - the only major tetrapod group without a comprehensive Red List assessment and 3) evaluate potential effects of human decision biases on the outcome of assessments. We use the method presented here to assess 4,369 reptile species that are currently unassessed or classified as Data Deficient by the IUCN. Our models range in accuracy from 88% to 93% for classifying species as threatened/non-threatened, and from 82% to 87% for predicting specific threat categories. Unassessed and Data Deficient reptiles were more likely to be threatened than assessed species, adding to mounting evidence that they should be considered threatened by default. The overall proportion of threatened species greatly increased when we included our provisional assessments. Assessor identities strongly affected prediction outcomes, suggesting that assessor effects need to be carefully considered in extinction risk assessments. Regions and taxa we identified as likely to be more threatened should be given increased attention in new assessments and conservation planning. Lastly, the method we present here can be easily implemented to help bridge the assessment gap on other less known taxa.
A hierarchical approach to understanding physiological associations with climate
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-11-2022
DOI: 10.1111/GEB.13431
Abstract: Our understanding of species’ responses to climate depends on choosing the scale for the analysis. Processes driving physiological adaptation that occur at the small spatial scales most relevant to animals may be masked in correlations between organismal traits and broad‐scale climatologies, but the extent to which this undermines our understanding of the macroevolution of physiological traits is unknown. Global. Current. Lizards. We investigated relationships between physiological traits (water loss rate, standard and field metabolic rates, thermal preferences and critical thermal limits) and environmental conditions in 369 lizard species across sets of environmental predictors representing different processes across hierarchically nested spatial scales: macroclimate, microclimate and biophysical. We found that microclimatic and biophysical predictors had greater explanatory power than macroclimatic predictors for all traits except standard and field metabolic rates. Across spatial scales, standard metabolic rate was negatively related to maximum temperatures whereas field metabolic rate was positively related to minimum temperatures. Thermal preference and critical limits showed expected relationships with environmental temperature, but preferred temperature and critical thermal maxima were most strongly associated with soil water potential, as was evaporative water loss. The use of proximal environmental predictors, via the principles of microclimatic and biophysical modelling, can be more informative in comparative physiological analyses than the more traditional application of macroclimatic data. In our study it led us to new, testable hypotheses about the role of habitat structure mediated by soil moisture. New datasets and computational methods mean that proximal environmental predictors can be readily computed for any kind of organism and their application to comparative studies should improve our understanding of physiological evolution.
Connectivity and habitat type shape divergent dispersal behavior in a desert-dwelling fish
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-04-2017
Sexual Dimorphism, Diet, and Reproduction in the Swamp Skink, Egernia coventryi
Publisher: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Date: 09-2004
DOI: 10.1670/224-03A-N
Do Students Value On-Campus Field-Based Education? A Case Study of Science Educational Initiatives in the Jock Marshall Reserve
Publisher: The University of Sydney Library
Date: 14-06-2022
DOI: 10.30722/IJISME.30.02.003
Abstract: Fieldwork, known for fostering more engaging and authentic learning experiences, is an established tradition in higher education which is changing increasingly run on-c us for financial and logistical reasons and enhanced through education technologies to reflect industry practices. Here we examine student perceptions of on-c us fieldwork with the aim of understanding if on-c us fieldwork was valued and why, to be able to compare against literature on off-c us fieldwork. We explore student views on activities at the Jock Marshall Reserve, an on-c us nature reserve of Monash University, Australia using mixed-methods approach. An online survey targeted students undertaking four subjects across first to third year and received 116 responses. In alignment with off-c us fieldwork studies, we found that overwhelmingly respondents highly valued fieldwork with dominant reasons being 1) developed skills relevant to ‘real-world’ science, 2) reinforced theoretical learning, and 3) was more engaging than traditional study, with some benefits to their wellbeing. The novel perceptions related to increased convenience and authenticity. Since a majority of respondents wished to undertake on-c us fieldwork more frequently, this study suggests that the inclusion of on-c us fieldwork should be considered within science curriculum in higher education.
How do the physiological traits of a lizard change during its invasion of an oceanic island?
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-2021
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-021-05054-Y
Abstract: Physiology is crucial for the survival of invasive species in new environments. Yet, new climatic conditions and the limited genetic variation found within many invasive populations may influence physiological responses to new environmental conditions. Here, we studied the case of the delicate skinks (L ropholis delicata) invading Lord Howe Island (LHI), Australia. On LHI, the climate is different from the mainland source of the skinks, and independent introduction events generated invasive populations with distinct genetic backgrounds. To understand how climate and genetic background may shape physiological responses along biological invasions, we compared the physiological traits of a source and two invasive (single-haplotype and multi-haplotype) populations of the delicate skink. For each population, we quantified physiological traits related to metabolism, sprint speed, and thermal physiology. We found that, for most physiological traits analysed, population history did not influence the ecophysiology of delicate skinks. However, invasive populations showed higher maximum speed than the source population, which indicates that locomotor performance might be a trait under selection during biological invasions. As well, the invasive population with a single haplotype was less cold-tolerant than the multi-haplotype and source populations. Our results suggest that limited genetic variability and climate may influence physiological responses of invasive organisms in novel environments. Incorporating the interplay between genetic and physiological responses into models predicting species invasions can result in more accurate understanding of the potential habitats those species can occupy.
Australia's most imperilled vertebrates
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
Indication of drier periods on Mars from the chemistry and mineralogy of atmospheric dust
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 07-2005
DOI: 10.1038/NATURE03807
Abstract: The ubiquitous atmospheric dust on Mars is well mixed by periodic global dust storms, and such dust carries information about the environment in which it once formed and hence about the history of water on Mars. The Mars Exploration Rovers have permanent magnets to collect atmospheric dust for investigation by instruments on the rovers. Here we report results from Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence of dust particles captured from the martian atmosphere by the magnets. The dust on the magnets contains magnetite and olivine this indicates a basaltic origin of the dust and shows that magnetite, not maghemite, is the mineral mainly responsible for the magnetic properties of the dust. Furthermore, the dust on the magnets contains some ferric oxides, probably including nanocrystalline phases, so some alteration or oxidation of the basaltic dust seems to have occurred. The presence of olivine indicates that liquid water did not play a dominant role in the processes that formed the atmospheric dust.
Assessing genetic diversity for conservation management: a case study of a threatened reptile
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-2009
Sex‐specific shifts in morphology and colour pattern polymorphism during range expansion of an invasive lizard
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 23-08-2017
DOI: 10.1111/JBI.13075
Ecophysiological trait variation in desert versus Mediterranean populations of a gecko
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-09-2023
DOI: 10.1111/JZO.13116
A global reptile assessment highlights shared conservation needs of tetrapods
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-04-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41586-022-04664-7
Abstract: Comprehensive assessments of species’ extinction risks have documented the extinction crisis 1 and underpinned strategies for reducing those risks 2 . Global assessments reveal that, among tetrapods, 40.7% of hibians, 25.4% of mammals and 13.6% of birds are threatened with extinction 3 . Because global assessments have been lacking, reptiles have been omitted from conservation-prioritization analyses that encompass other tetrapods 4–7 . Reptiles are unusually erse in arid regions, suggesting that they may have different conservation needs 6 . Here we provide a comprehensive extinction-risk assessment of reptiles and show that at least 1,829 out of 10,196 species (21.1%) are threatened—confirming a previous extrapolation 8 and representing 15.6 billion years of phylogenetic ersity. Reptiles are threatened by the same major factors that threaten other tetrapods—agriculture, logging, urban development and invasive species—although the threat posed by climate change remains uncertain. Reptiles inhabiting forests, where these threats are strongest, are more threatened than those in arid habitats, contrary to our prediction. Birds, mammals and hibians are unexpectedly good surrogates for the conservation of reptiles, although threatened reptiles with the smallest ranges tend to be isolated from other threatened tetrapods. Although some reptiles—including most species of crocodiles and turtles—require urgent, targeted action to prevent extinctions, efforts to protect other tetrapods, such as habitat preservation and control of trade and invasive species, will probably also benefit many reptiles.
Repeatability and correlation of physiological traits:
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 22-12-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.2632
A national‐scale dataset for threats impacting Australia’s imperiled flora and fauna
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-08-2021
DOI: 10.1002/ECE3.7920
Abstract: Australia is in the midst of an extinction crisis, having already lost 10% of terrestrial mammal fauna since European settlement and with hundreds of other species at high risk of extinction. The decline of the nation's biota is a result of an array of threatening processes however, a comprehensive taxon‐specific understanding of threats and their relative impacts remains undocumented nationally. Using expert consultation, we compile the first complete, validated, and consistent taxon‐specific threat and impact dataset for all nationally listed threatened taxa in Australia. We confined our analysis to 1,795 terrestrial and aquatic taxa listed as threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered) under Australian Commonwealth law. We engaged taxonomic experts to generate taxon‐specific threat and threat impact information to consistently apply the IUCN Threat Classification Scheme and Threat Impact Scoring System, as well as eight broad‐level threats and 51 subcategory threats, for all 1,795 threatened terrestrial and aquatic threatened taxa. This compilation produced 4,877 unique taxon–threat–impact combinations with the most frequently listed threats being Habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation ( n = 1,210 taxa), and Invasive species and disease ( n = 966 taxa). Yet when only high‐impact threats or medium‐impact threats are considered, Invasive species and disease become the most prevalent threats. This dataset provides critical information for conservation action planning, national legislation and policy, and prioritizing investments in threatened species management and recovery.
Biological invasions as a selective filter driving behavioral divergence
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-10-2022
DOI: 10.1038/S41467-022-33755-2
Abstract: Biological invasions are a multi-stage process (i.e., transport, introduction, establishment, spread), with each stage potentially acting as a selective filter on traits associated with invasion success. Behavior (e.g., exploration, activity, boldness) plays a key role in facilitating species introductions, but whether invasion acts as a selective filter on such traits is not well known. Here we capitalize on the well-characterized introduction of an invasive lizard ( L ropholis delicata ) across three independent lineages throughout the Pacific, and show that invasion shifted behavioral trait means and reduced among-in idual variation—two key predictions of the selective filter hypothesis. Moreover, lizards from all three invasive ranges were also more behaviorally plastic (i.e., greater within-in idual variation) than their native range counterparts. We provide support for the importance of selective filtering of behavioral traits in a widespread invasion. Given that invasive species are a leading driver of global bio ersity loss, understanding how invasion selects for specific behaviors is critical for improving predictions of the effects of alien species on invaded communities.
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