Research Task: 83279R5.1.0
Task Manager: Ellen VanGelder
The brown treesnake’s colonization of Guam has resulted in the loss of at least 17 vertebrates from the island over the last 4 decades. Shipping and air traffic out of Guam provide opportunities for this highly destructive snake to be transported to other islands and beyond, where they could cause similar problems. The ecological effects attributable to introduced populations of brown treesnakes on Guam and other islands are complex, spill down to many aspects of the terrestrial island ecosystem, and justify expanded efforts to reduce the problems. Studies of the vertebrate fauna of Guam in the context of an introduced predator, and of comparable faunas and habitats on other islands that have not yet been altered by the snake, are important to guiding management actions by several federal and local agencies. This task will attempt to compile the scientific data necessary to guide management efforts to control exotic species and contain their spread. Objectives include expanding biological understanding of the brown treesnake, with special emphasis on reproduction, recruitment, maturation, and movements.
For more information contact Ellen VanGelder
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.fort.usgs.gov/Research/research_tasks.asp
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