Background: Invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. The diet of invasive animal populations is a crucial factor that must be considered in the context of biological invasions. A broad dietary spectrum is a frequently cited characteristic of invasive species, allowing them to thrive in a wide range of environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe widespread African clawed frog () occurs in sympatry with the IUCN Endangered Cape platanna () throughout its entire range in the south-western Cape, South Africa. In order to investigate aspects of the interspecific competition between populations of and , an assessment of their niche differentiation was conducted through a comprehensive study on food composition and trophic niche structure at two study sites: the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) and Kleinmond. A total of 399 stomach contents of ( = 183) and ( = 216) were obtained together with samples of available prey to determine food preferences using the Electivity index (*), the Simpson's index of diversity (1 - ), the Shannon index ('), and the Pianka index ( ).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBy altering or eliminating delicate ecological relationships, non-indigenous species are considered a major threat to biodiversity, as well as a driver of environmental change. Global climate change affects ecosystems and ecological communities, leading to changes in the phenology, geographic ranges, or population abundance of several species. Thus, predicting the impacts of global climate change on the current and future distribution of invasive species is an important subject in macroecological studies.
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