In situ adaptation and ecological release facilitate the occupied niche expansion of a non-native Madagascan day gecko in Florida.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

To investigate whether the frequently advocated climate-matching species distribution modeling approach could predict the well-characterized colonization of Florida by the Madagascar giant day gecko Phelsuma grandis.

Location

Madagascar and Florida, USA.

Methods

To determine the climatic conditions associated with the native range of P. grandis, we used native-range presence-only records and Bioclim climatic data to build a Maxent species distribution model and projected the climatic thresholds of the native range onto Florida. We then built an analogous model using Florida presence-only data and projected it onto Madagascar. We constructed a third model using native-range presences for both P. grandis and the closely rela

SUBMITTER: Fieldsend TW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8293743 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature