Fast life history traits promote invasion success in amphibians and reptiles

Allen, William L.; Street, Sally E.; Capellini, Isabella

Abstract

Competing theoretical models make different predictions on which life history strategies facilitate growth of small populations. While ‘fast’ strategies allow for rapid increase in population size and limit vulnerability to stochastic events, ‘slow’ strategies and bet-hedging may reduce variance in vital rates in response to stochasticity. We test these predictions using biological invasions since founder alien populations start small, compiling the largest dataset yet of global herpetological introductions and life history traits. Using state-of-the-art phylogenetic comparative methods, we show that successful invaders have fast traits, such as large and frequent clutches, at both establishment and spread stages. These results, together with recent findings in mammals and plants, support ‘fast advantage’ models and the importance of high potential population growth rate. Conversely, successful alien birds are bet-hedgers. We propose that transient population dynamics and differences in longevity and behavioural flexibility can help reconcile apparently contrasting results across terrestrial vertebrate classes.

Citation

Allen, W. L., Street, S. E., & Capellini, I. (2017). Fast life history traits promote invasion success in amphibians and reptiles. Ecology letters, 20(2), 222-230. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12728

• Acceptance Date: Dec 2, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jan 4, 2017
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jan 11, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 11, 2017
• Journal: Ecology letters
• Print ISSN: 1461-023X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 222-230
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12728
• Keywords: Amphibians; Biological invasions; Comparative analyses; Invasion biology; Invasive species; Life history theory; Population dynamics; Population growth; Reptiles; Transient dynamics
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/447013
• Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.12728/abstract;jsessionid=065CA27B19091C42540416E5EDD4A72D.f03t03?
• Additional Information: Copy of article: Allen, W. L., Street, S. E. and Capellini, I. (2017), Fast life history traits promote invasion success in amphibians and reptiles. Ecol Lett, 20: 222–230. doi:10.1111/ele.12728
• Contract Date: Jan 11, 2017