ARTICLES
Stimulus Material for depth studies, courtesy of Macquarie University (continued)
Can behaviour explain why some animal species
become invasive?
A new study has found that adaptability is the key to invasive species succeeding in non-native environments.
The study published in Animal Behaviour compared the behaviour of two closely related lizards to understand
why only one species has become established in several locations throughout the world.
The Italian Wall Lizard and Green Iberian Wall Lizard may look like close relatives, but key differences in their
behaviour explained why the Italian Wall Lizard is the successful invasive species of the two.
Researchers from Macquarie University found that the invasive lizard was more exploratory, bold, and
comfortable in new environments—all factors that are likely to contribute to the lizard’s success as an invasive
species. The invasive Italian Wall Lizard was also more flexible in its behaviour, pointing to adaptability as an
essential behavioural trait for successfully invading different environments.
Department of Biological Sciences’ Isabel Damas-Moreira, the lead author of the study, says invasive
species have enormous ecological and economic costs and the world’s growing population will create more
opportunities for these species to spread. “Invasive species like the Italian Wall Lizard use human transportation
to hitchhike and invade new locations,” she says.
Find out more
Syllabus link: Biology Module 2 Organisation of Living things
FACULTY OF SCIENCE
AND ENGINEERING
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SCIENCE EDUCATIONAL NEWS VOL 68 NO 3