Invasive Gecko Ecology and Management

Invasive geckos have established themselves in a variety of regions worldwide, often hitchhiking with human transport and thriving in anthropogenic landscapes. Their colonisation alters native ecosystems through competition for food and habitat, predation on invertebrates, and potential disruption of mutualistic interactions. Key drivers of invasion success include high propagule pressure, generalist diet, rapid reproduction and flexible habitat use. Monitoring their distribution employs species distribution models that predict both current and future suitable areas under climate change scenarios. Management strategies combine early detection via biosecurity inspections, habitat modification to reduce suitable microhabitats, targeted removal and community engagement to limit range expansion. Integrating ecological knowledge with ecomorphological and behavioural studies informs more effective control measures. Understanding dispersal mechanisms at multiple spatial scales and the conditions under which native species resist invasion is critical to developing adaptive management plans that can be tailored to local contexts and anticipate future range shifts.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Invasive Gecko Ecology and Management publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in invasive gecko ecology and management across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Propagule pressure: The frequency and number of individuals of a species introduced to a new area.

Species distribution model: A computational method that relates occurrence data to environmental variables to predict suitable habitat.

Ecomorphology: The study of morphological adaptations in relation to ecological roles and behaviours.

Multimodal dispersal: Movement of organisms via different pathways and scales, including natural and human‐mediated transport.

Niche overlap: The extent to which two species utilise the same resources or habitats.

References

1. Prediction of present and future distribution of the Schlegel’s Japanese gecko (Gekko japonicus) using MaxEnt modeling. Journal of Ecology and Environment (2020).
2. Biosecurity interceptions of an invasive lizard: origin of stowaways and human‐assisted spread within New Zealand. Evolutionary Applications (2012).
3. Multimodal dispersal during the range expansion of the tropical house gecko Hemidactylus mabouia. Ecology and Evolution (2011).
4. Comparing the dietary niche overlap and ecomorphological differences between invasive Hemidactylus mabouia geckos and a native gecko competitor. Ecology and Evolution (2021).
5. Home-field advantage: native gecko exhibits improved exertion capacity and locomotor ability in structurally complex environments relative to its invasive counterpart. Frontiers in Zoology (2020).