Study: Invasive lizards’ tempers flare with the heat
Turns out those New Orleans lizards with record levels of lead in their blood are also picking more fights — but heat, not heavy metal, may be driving their aggression.
A new Tulane University study published in the Journal of Thermal Biology finds that invasive brown anoles become more aggressive toward native green anoles as temperatures rise, suggesting that warming conditions could tip the competitive balance between the two species.
Earlier Tulane research revealed record-high levels of lead in brown anoles collected in New Orleans, prompting questions about whether lead exposure could explain their feisty tendencies. While the team can’t rule out a connection, the evidence so far points elsewhere, said senior study author Alex Gunderson, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology in Tulane's School of Science and Engineering.
“Invasive species cause a lot of ecological and economic damage, so biologists are really interested in understanding what makes these species so successful.”
Julie Rej, School of Science and Engineering
