Journal article

After the crash: How do predators adjust following the invasion of a novel toxic prey type?

John Llewelyn, Lin Schwarzkopf, Benjamin L Phillips, Richard Shine

AUSTRAL ECOLOGY | WILEY | Published : 2014

Abstract

The ability of a native predator to adjust to a dangerously toxic invasive species is key to avoiding an ongoing suppression of the predator's population and the trophic cascade of effects that can result. Many species of anurophagous predators have suffered population declines due to the cane toad's (Rhinella marina: Bufonidae) invasion of Australia; these predators can be fatally poisoned from attempting to consume the toxic toad. We studied one such toad‐vulnerable predator, the yellow‐spotted monitor (Varanus panoptes: Varanidae), testing whether changes to the predator's feeding behaviour could explain how the species persists following toad invasion. Wild, free‐roaming lizards from (1)..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Funding Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Greg Brown, Tori Llewelyn, Melanie Elphick and Michelle Nissen for their advice and support. We would also like to thank the Australian Museum, the Lizard Island Research Station staff and the Townsville City Council for supporting our fieldwork. We thank the Australian Research Council and the Tropical Landscapes Joint Venture, a joint venture between JCU and CSIRO, for funding.