Abstract
Range expansion potential is an important consideration for prioritizing management actions against an invasive species. Understanding the potential for range expansion by invasive reptiles such as the Burmese python can be challenging, because the lack of knowledge on fundamental physiological and behavioral constraints initially forces reliance on modeling to predict hypothetical invasive range potential. Hypothetical predictions for Burmese python range limits in the USA have been highly divergent, from only extreme South Florida and the extreme southern Gulf edge of Texas to a broad swath over the southern third of the continental USA. Empirical observations on python thermal tolerances and behavioral abilities to cope with more temperate temperatures became evident during a cold spell in December 2009–January 2010. We review and highlight important considerations for improving invasive range estimation methodology, deciding between competing range predictions, and the importance of having, and applying, empirical data to aid in decision making.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Avery RA (1982) Field studies of body temperatures and thermoregulation. In: Gans C, Pough FH (eds) Biology of the Reptilia, vol 12. Academic Press, New York, pp 93–166
Avery ML, Engeman RM, Keacher KL, Humphrey JS, Bruce WE, Mathies TC, Mauldin RE (2010) Cold weather and the potential range of invasive Burmese pythons. Biol Invasions 12:3649–3652
Baker A (2007) Occam’s razor in science: a case study from biogeography. Biol Philos 22:193–215
Barker DG (2008) Will they come in out of the cold? Observations of large constrictors in cool and cold conditions. Bull Chicago Herpetol Soc 43:93–97
Barker DG, Barker TM (2008a) The distribution of the Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus. Bull Chicago Herpetol Soc 43:33–38
Barker DG, Barker TM (2008b) Comments on a flawed herpetological paper and an improper and damaging news release from a government agency. Bull Chicago Herpetol Soc 43:45–47
Bilger B (2009) Swamp things. The New Yorker 20:80–89
Bomford M, Kraus F, Barry S, Lawrence E (2009) Predicting establishment success for alien reptiles and amphibians: a role for climate matching. Biol Invasions 11:713–724
Bromberg JE, Kumar S, Brown CS, Stohlgren TJ (2011) Distributional changes and range predictions of downy brome (Bromus tectorum) in Rocky Mountain National Park. Invasive Plant Sci Manag 4:173–182
Cianfrani C, Le Lay G, Hirzel AH, Loy A (2010) Do habitat suitability models reliably predict the recovery areas of threatened species? J Appl Ecol 47:421–430
Collins TM, Freeman B, Snow S (2008) Final report genetic characterization of populations of the nonindigenous Burmese python in Everglades National Park. Final report for the South Florida Water Management District. Department of Biological Sciences. Florida International University, Miami, 30 p
Corn ML, Buck EH, Rawson J, Segarra A, Fischer E (2002) Invasive non-native species: background and issues for congress. Congressional Research Service and The Library of Congress, Washington, DC
Cowles RB, Bogert C (1944) A preliminary study of the thermal requirements of desert reptiles. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 83:265–296
Crossman ND, Bass DA (2008) Application of common predictive habitat techniques for post-border weed risk management. Divers Distrib 14:213–224
de Vosjoli P, Klingenberg R (2005) Burmese python plus reticulated pythons and related species. Advanced Vivarium Systems, Irvine, CA
Dorcas ME, Willson JD, Gibbons JW (2011) Can invasive Burmese pythons inhabit temperate regions of the southeastern United States? Biol Invasions 13:793–802
Dorcas ME, Willson JD, Reed RN, Snow RW, Rochford MR et al (2012) Severe mammal declines coincide with proliferation of invasive Burmese pythons in Everglades National Park. Proc. Natl Acad Sci 109:2418–2422
Dormann CF, Dormann CF, Schymanski SJ, Cabral J, Chuine I, Graham C, Hartig F, Kearney M, Morin X, Römermann C, Schröder B, Singer A (2012) Correlation and process in species distribution models: bridging a Dichotomy. J Biogeogr 39:2119–2131
Dove CJ, Snow RW, Rochford MR, Mazotti FJ (2011) Birds consumed by the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in Everglades National Park, Florida, USA. Wilson J Ornithol 123:126–131
Engeman RM, Jacobson E, Avery ML, Meshaka WE Jr (2011) The aggressive invasion of exotic reptiles in Florida with a focus on prominent species: a review. Curr Zool 57:599–612
Greene DU, Potts JM, Duquesnel JG, Snow RW (2007) Geographic distribution: Python molurus bivittatus (Burmese python). Herpetol Rev 38:355
Hardin S (2007) Managing non-native wildlife in Florida: state perspective, policy and practice. In: Witmer G, Pitt W, Fagerstone K (eds) Managing vertebrate invasive species: proceedings of an international symposium. USDA/APHIS/WS. National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, CO, pp 43–52
Hayes KR, Barry SC (2008) Are there any consistent predictors of invasion success? Biol Invasions 10:483–506
Holling CS (1978) Adaptive environmental assessment and management. Wiley, Chichester
Huey R (1982) Temperature, physiology, and the ecology of reptiles. In: Gans C, Pough FH (eds) Biology of the Reptilia, vol 12. Academic Press, New York, pp 25–67
Jacobs HJ, Auliya M, Böhme W (2009) Zur taxonomie des dunklen tigerpythons, Python molurus bivittatus Kuhl, 1820, speziell der population von Sulawesi. Sauria 31:5–16
Jacobson ER, Barker D, Barker T, Mauldin R, Avery ML, Engeman RM, Secor S (2012) Environmental temperatures, physiology, and behavior limit the range expansion of invasive Burmese pythons in the southeastern U.S. Integr Zool 7:271–285
Jeschke JM, Strayer DL (2008) Usefulness of bioclimatic models for studying climate change and invasive species. Ann. N.Y. Acad Sci 1134:1–24
Jones CC (2012) Challenges in predicting the future distributions of invasive plant species. For Ecol Manag 284:69–77
Jones CC, Acker SA, Halpern CB (2010) Combining local- and large-scale models to predict the distributions of invasive plant species. Ecol Appl 20:311–326
Kearney M, Porter W (2009) Mechanistic niche modelling: combining physiological and spatial data to predict species ranges. Ecol Lett 12:1–7
Mazzotti FJ, Cherkiss MS, Hart KM, Snow RW, Rochford MR, Dorcas ME, Reed RN (2011) Cold-induced mortality of invasive Burmese pythons in south Florida. Biol Invasion 13:143–151
Meshaka WE Jr, Loftus WF, Steiner T (2000) The herpetofauna of Everglades National Park. Florida Sci 63:84–103
NISC (National Invasive Species Council) (2001) Meeting the invasive species challenge: National Invasive Species Management Plan. National Invasive Species Council, Washington, DC
Nolen RS (2012) How big is Florida’s python problem? J Am Vet Med Assoc 240:778–782
Pyron RA, Burbrink FT, Guiher TJ (2008) Claims of potential expansion throughout the U.S. by invasive python species are contradicted by ecological niche models. PLoS One 3:e2931
Qian H (2010) Environment–richness relationships for mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians at global and regional scales. Ecol Res 25:629–637
Reynolds RG, Niemiller ML, Revell RJ (2013) Toward a tree-of-life for the boas and pythons: multilocus species-level phylogeny with unprecedented taxon sampling. Mol Phylogenet Evol. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2013.11.011
Rodda GH, Jarnevich CS, Reed RN (2009) What parts of the US mainland are climatically suitable for invasive alien pythons spreading from Everglades National Park? Biol Invasion 11:241–252
Rodda GH, Jarnevich CS, Reed RN (2011) Challenges in identifying sites climatically matched to the native ranges of animal invaders. PLoS One 6(2):e14670
Runge MC, Converse SJ, Lyons JE (2011) Which uncertainty? Using expert elicitation and expected value of information to design an adaptive program. Biol Conserv 144:1214–1223
Shine R, Madsen T (1996) Is thermoregulation unimportant for most reptiles? An example using water pythons (Liasis fuscus) in tropical Australia. Physiol Zool 69:252–269
Snow RW, Brien ML, Cherkiss MS, Wilkins L, Mazzotti FJ (2007a) Dietary habits of the Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus, in Everglades National Park, FL. Herpetol Bull 101:5–7
Snow RW, Krysko KL, Enge KM, Oberhofer L, Walker-Bradley A, Wilkins L (2007b) Introduced populations of Boa constrictor (Boidae) and Python molurus bivittatus (Pythonidae) in southern Florida. In: Henderson RW, Powell R (eds) The biology of boas and pythons. Eagle Mountain Publishing, Eagle Mountain, UT, pp 416–438
Stankey GH, Clark RN, Bormann BT (2005) Adaptive management of natural resources: theory, concepts, and management institutions. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-654. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, OR
Stohlgren TJ, Schnase JL (2006) Risk analysis for biological hazards: what we need to know about invasive species. Risk Anal 26:163–173
U.S. Congress (1993) Harmful non-indigenous species in the United States. Office of Technology Assessment, OTA-F-565. Government Printing Office, Washington DC
USDI/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1976) Endangered status for 159 taxa of animals. Fed Regist 41:24062–24067
Van Wilgen NJ, Roura-Pascual N, Richardson DM (2009) A quantitative climate-match score for risk assessment screening of reptile and amphibians introductions. Environ Manag 44:590–607
Walters CJ (1986) Adaptive management of renewable resources. McGraw Hill, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Engeman, R., Avery, M.L. & Jacobson, E. Weighing empirical and hypothetical evidence for assessing potential invasive species range limits: a review of the case of Burmese pythons in the USA. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21, 11973–11978 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3173-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-014-3173-4