Patterns of selectivity in introductions of mammal species worldwide
Date
2017-01-27
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pensoft Publishers
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Humans have an extremely long history of transporting and introducing mammal species outside their
native geographic ranges. The characteristics of the species introduced (taxonomy, life-history, ecology,
environment) can all influence which traits are available (and selected) for establishment, and subsequent
invasive spread. Understanding the non-randomness in species introductions is therefore key to understanding
invasions by alien species. Here, we test for selectivity in the identities and traits of mammal
species introduced worldwide. We compiled and analysed a comprehensive database of introduced mammal
species, including information on a broad range of life history, ecological, distributional and environmental
variables that we predicted to differ between introduced and non-introduced mammal species.
Certain mammal taxa are much more likely to have been introduced than expected, such as Artiodactyls in
the families Bovidae and Cervidae. Rodents and bats were much less likely to have been introduced than
expected. Introduced mammal species have significantly larger body masses, longer lifespans and larger
litter sizes than a random sample of all mammal species. They also have much larger native geographic
ranges than expected, originate from significantly further north, from cooler areas, and from areas with
higher human population densities, than mammal species with no recorded introductions. The traits and
distributions of species help determine which have been introduced, and reflect how the evolutionary
history of mammals has resulted in certain species with certain traits being located in the way of human
histories of movement and demands for goods and services. The large amount of unexplained variation is
likely to relate to the intrinsically stochastic nature of this human-driven process.
Description
CITATION: Blackburn, T. M., et al. 2017. Patterns of selectivity in introductions of mammal species worldwide. NeoBiota, 33:33-51, doi:10.3897/neobiota.33.10471.
The original publication is available at https://neobiota.pensoft.net
The original publication is available at https://neobiota.pensoft.net
Keywords
Mammal species, Introduced mammals, Introduced mammals -- Selectivity
Citation
Blackburn, T. M., et al. 2017. Patterns of selectivity in introductions of mammal species worldwide. NeoBiota, 33:33-51, doi:10.3897/neobiota.33.10471