The Invader Updater

Highlights: Invasive news for busy Extension professionals

 Ubiquitous Anoles Volume 3, Issue 4 Winter 2011

 Bold Hitchhikers Focal Species: Cuban Brown Anole  Barrier Bycatch Scientific name:  Commercial Anolis sagrei

Fishermen on a Size: Mission Usually 5 - 8 in. (total length)

Native range: , Bahamas, Cayman Islands

Notes: Males have a red- orange dewlap or “throat fan” In this Issue: Cuban brown anoles are one running down their back. move higher into the trees. In of the most common addition, brown anoles prey Focal Species: 1 Many Floridians are familiar in —especially in the on young green anoles and Brown Anole with the native green anole south. These nonnative liz- may eventually replace the Science: Invader ()— 2 ards arrived in the U.S. as native species altogether in Personality sometimes called a stowaways in cargo and are urban settings. Studies of “chameleon.” Native green More Science: 2 transported on boats, camp- brown anole populations on Barriers anoles can be either bright ers, and other vehicles. They dredge spoil islands have green or dull brown, but Innovation: 3 have invaded every country found that these invaders are have somewhat narrower Robotic Trackers in peninsular Florida, where able to rapidly adapt to new snouts and males have a News: Invasive they thrive in disturbed or habitats and may be larger in 3 pink dewlap. Unfortunately, Pollinators urbanized areas but are also some introduced habitats native green anoles are now found in natural habitats. than in their native Carib- Noteworthy 3 seen less often, especially in Their typically brown bodies bean range. Unfortunately, In Focus 4 urbanized areas in the penin- are marked with dark or these lizards have already sula. The decline of Florida’s light markings that vary a become so widespread that Resources 4 native anole is due in large lot. Males often have dark eradicating them would be part to the presence of the and light bands across their impossible. bodies, whereas females and introduced Cuban brown juveniles may have a light anoles. These invaders are Learn More... stripe with scalloped edges known to displace native green anoles, forcing them to

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml Volume 3, Issue 4 – P g . 2

Science: Personality of an Invader

ments. However, many hitch- sive species may be more hikers fail to become estab- likely to outcompete na- lished or are quickly detected tives. Some personality and eradicated. So what de- traits—such as boldness and termines success? aggression—may be linked.

In a recent paper, Dr. David Dr. Chapple applied this Chapple and colleagues from knowledge to the study of Australia’s Monash Univer- two lizards in Australia. Figure 1 from Chapple As the figure above depicts, sity reviewed recent research They are closely related and et al., 2011 in Trends hitchhiking invaders must navi- showing that invader person- share the same habitat, but in Ecology & Evolution in Ecology & Evolution gate their way past a variety of ality traits often play an im- only one species has spread barriers on the path to invasion portant role in invasions. Spe- overseas by hitchhiking. success. Brown Treesnakes in- cies with a tendency to seek Chapple found that this spe- vaded Guam by hitchhiking on shelter are more likely to be cies, the invasive Delicate military equipment and Cuban transported and avoid detec- , is more exploratory Treefrogs invaded Florida by tion, and bold species are and has a greater tendency hitchhiking in cargo ships. Both more likely to find their way to hide than does its rela- species have been extremely into cargo and disperse in the tive, the Garden Skink. successful in their new environ- new environment. Aggres- Learn More...

More Science: Fish Barrier Impacts

Sea lampreys (Petromyzon physical barriers could from 44 - 100% of native marinus) are an invasive prevent native, non- fish breeding migrations. species in the Great Lakes, jumping fish species from Perhaps even more im- where they parasitize na- completing their migra- portantly, predictive mod- tive . Parasitism, in tions during the sea lam- els of the effects of block- combination with pres- prey migration period. ing native fish migrations sure from over-fishing, A recent study by suggested that the barri- has caused the decline of Luis Vélez-Espino and ers would negatively im- many native fish species. colleagues in Canada and pact native fishes as much Lampricide is the most Michigan found that these as lampreys. Fish bypass commonly-used manage- impacts are likely to be devices were relatively ment tool, although barri- significant. Their research ineffective for reducing ers to prevent breeding showed that the timing of impacts. Without addi- migrations have also been breeding of most non- tional measures to cap- used in many areas. These Physical fish barrier target, non-jumping na- ture, sort, and release na- barriers include electrical tive species overlapped tive fish, the use of barri- and physical barriers, considerably with the tim- ers could be devastating. some of which can be ing of lamprey breeding. Learn More... raised and lowered sea- As a result, lamprey barri- sonally. However, these ers are likely to block

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml Volume 3, Issue 4 – P g . 3

Innovations: Robotic Carp Tracker

west that causes significant These scientists developed a damage to lake ecosystems. network of robotic devices By understanding the move- that move across the water or ments of these fish, biologists ice to locate radio-tagged “Our objective may be able to efficiently carp and track their move- is to assist in trap and remove them. A ments. A map of the move- new study spearheaded by ments of one individual locating carp the Sorenson lab at the Uni- tracked by one of these ro- aggregations so versity of Minnesota brought bots is shown at the far left. they can together roboticists, com- When the robots detect the puter systems experts, location of a tagged fish, they eventually be mathematicians, and fish triangulate and record its removed“ biologists to develop a ro- position. The common carp is an inva- botic fish tracking system. Learn More... sive fish species in the Mid-

News Updates: Invasive Pollinators ♦♦ It is perhaps a natural ten- pressure on native prey species, island as a result of predation dency for ecologists to want leading to disastrous, cascading by invasive . Although to eradicate invasive species ecosystem impacts. those native species no longer whenever possible. However, pollinate some endemic plants ♦♦ In a recent study, David Wil- history has taught us that it is found only on the island, the cove of Princeton University prudent to carefully consider invasive rats appear to have and colleagues showed that the impacts of such eradica- taken over their role as pollina- invasive rats in New Zealand ♦♦ tions. In some cases, eradicat- tors. As a result, eradication were playing a critical role in ing an introduced prey spe- efforts could seriously impact the native ecosystem. Many of cies that has subsidized native native plants. the native pollinators have been predators could potentially ♦♦ eliminated from the northern Go to News Archives... cause an increase in predation

Noteworthy: Fisherman vs. Carp

In October 2011, the Minne- fishermen to search the river most of their time, the sota Department of Natural for signs of these invasive commercial fishermen Resources (DNR) reported fish. These fishermen took reeled in approximately that they had detected silver their temporary job seriously, 7,000 pounds of com- carp DNA in the because invasive silver carp mon carp—another in- River in Minnesota—far to the could have serious negative vasive fish. Fortunately, north of their known invasive effects on native fisheries. they found no signs of silver Image from range. In a noteworthy effort, carp. After trolling backwater areas MyFox9News the DNR hired commercial where carp tend to spend Learn More...

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml Volume 3, Issue 4 – P g . 4

In Focus...

This photo shows what appears to be an invasive Cuban Treefrog trapped in the web of a golden orb weaver (Argiope aurantia). often prey on frogs. Jumping spiders (Phidippus species) are This newsletter is produced by: known to kill and eat frogs in PVC “frog traps.”

Dept. of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation

Dr. Steve A. Johnson, Associate Professor & Extension Specialist and Monica E. McGarrity, Johnson Lab Outreach Coordinator

Do you have questions, comments, suggestions, or an In Focus photo? Want to be added to the mailing list? Email [email protected]

Photo © Gitta Shurberg, 2011

The Invader Updater is a quarterly newsletter focused primarily on providing information on invasive vertebrate in Florida and the southeastern U.S., and was first published in Fall 2009.

Resources

 NEW BOOK! Dorcas & Gibbons (2011) Invasive and pathways, and a bibliographic database of Pythons in the United States: Ecology of an over 65,000 records (updated weekly). Check out Introduced Predator. University of Press, the resources in the compendium... 176 pp. Visit the UGA Press website.  Cooperative Invasive Species Management  I’veGot1 Mobile App—NOW AVAILABLE! Areas (CISMAs) — read more about these Everglades National Park is pleased to announce regional efforts and join your CISMA today. the release of a much-expanded mobile app for http://www.floridainvasives.org/cismas.html tracking invasive exotics in Florida. The Park  Invader Updater News — don’t forget, we keep partnered with University of Georgia in the an extensive archive of Florida, U.S., and development of the "IveGot1" app for the popular international news stories on our website. iPhone to identify and report invasive plants and animals spotted in Florida. Learn more...

 Invasive Species Compendium (beta) - The ISC  Know of an important resource not listed here or is a constantly developing encyclopedic resource in our archives? Let us know—email a description containing datasheets on over 1500 invasive and URL to [email protected]. species and animal diseases, countries, habitats

The Invader Updater — http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/InvaderUpdater.shtml