Potential effects of climate change on the distribution of invasive bullfrogs Lithobates catesbeianus in China
From Firenze University Press Journal: Acta Herpetologica
Li Qing Peng, Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University
Min Tang, Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University
Jia Hong Liao, Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University
Hai Fen Qing, Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University
Zhen Kun Zhao, Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University
David A. Pike, Department of Biology, Rhodes College
Wei Chen, Ecological Security and Protection Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Mianyang Normal University
Biological invasion of alien invasive species is considered to be the second leading cause of global biodiversity loss and habitat degradation (Pimentel et al., 2000; Bel-lard et al., 2012; Runyon et al., 2012), seriously threatening the health of ecosystems (Hobbs and Huenneke, 1992; D’Antonio et al., 2004; Vilà et al., 2011; Espíndola et al., 2012; Sorte et al., 2013) and causing significant economic losses (Pimentel et al., 2000). The proliferation and outbreak of invasive species are becoming more and more serious (Pyšek and Hulme, 2010).
The acceleration of globalization has affected the distribution of invasive species and almost no ecosystem is immune to the impact of alien species (Weber and Li, 2008; Catford et al., 2012). China is a large country encompassing many different climatic regions, where many invasive species can find suitable habitats where to establish. Investigating the potential distribution of invasive species could help to address the conservation efforts to eliminate or reduce the negative effects of biological invasions on local wild-life and ecosystems (Xie et al., 2001).As in the rest of the world, climate change is affect-ing also China’s ecosystems (Hu et al., 2012).
Climate change has shown enormous influence on species distribution (Erasmus et al., 2002; Walther et al., 2002; Root et al., 2003; Hari et al., 2006; Guralnick, 2007). For exam-ple, climate change in the 20th century has changed the distribution of butterflies (Parmesan et al., 1999), birds (Thoms and Lennon, 1999), amphibians (Araújo et al., 2006) and mammals (Hersteinsson and Macdonald, 1992). Climate change has attracted wide attention of governments and scientists because of its enormous influences on ecosystem functions and global environmental quality (Thomas et al., 2004; Kiritani, 2011). The bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus is native to eastern North America, but has been introduced throughout the world during the past two centuries (Lever, 2003).
The species is considered as one of the most harmful and threatening invasive species, since it is relatively large and negatively affects native amphibians through competition (Zhou et al., 2005), predation (Kiesecker and Blaustein, 1998; Lowe et al., 2000) and disease transmission (Hanselmann et al., 2004). Knowledge of the patterns of bullfrog invasion is, therefore, extremely important for planning conservation strategies aim-ing to understand and reduce the impacts of their invasion. Bullfrogs were introduced into China in 1959 via the aquaculture and aquarium trades (Han, 1991).
The species successfully established wild populations, and it is spreading locally (Li and Xie, 2004; Wu et al., 2004). Once established it is extremely difficult to eradicate (Li and Xie, 2004). Although the distribution of the species has been simulated at a global scale (Ficetola et al., 2007) to predict areas susceptible to invasion, little is known about its potential distribution in China and how future climate scenarios will influence its distribution. We there-fore modeled the potential distribution of bullfrog based on current climatic models and projected the results onto future climate scenarios (2050 and 2070) under two emissions scenarios, RCP4.5 (a radiative forcing of 4.5 W/m2 at the end of 2100) and RCP8.5 (a radiative forcing of 8.5 W/m2 at the end of 2100). Our main aims were to describe the current potential distribution of the bullfrogs in China and to model its distribution under future cli-mate change scenarios.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13128/a_h-9670
Read Full Text: https://oaj.fupress.net/index.php/ah/article/view/9670
