CIBIO-InBIO HELPS TO EXLAIN THE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF INVASIVE SPECIES

In a study published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a luso-brazilian and Australian research team, which includes Fernando Sequeira (CIBIO-InBIO) e Marcelo Vallinoto (University of Pará and CIBIO-InBIO), explains how the distribution patterns of invasive species can be predicted.

The researchers used the example of the cururu toad (Rhinella marina), a species originally distributed across South and Central America, which has also became known as sugar-cane toad after its introduction in Australia in the 30’s with the purpose of controlling pests of sugar-cane cultures.

Using an innovative methodology that integrates information from several areas of the biology of an organism, from ecology to physiology, the team demonstrated that the interactions with other living beings may have a more determinant role than the climatic conditions in processes of habitat occupation and ecological niche definition.

To find out more about this study, you can read the original article:

Tingley R, Vallinoto M, Sequeira F, Kearney MR (2014) Realized niche shift during a global biological invasion. PNAS (early edition). doi: 10.1073/pnas.1405766111 

Click here to read the press release for this article. (in portuguese)

Click here to read the media clipping section. (in portuguese)