Predicting the fine scale distribution of invasive alien species through analyzing their potential habitats and community

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K06341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 45040:Ecology and environment-related
• Research Institution: National Institute for Environmental Studies
• Principal Investigator: IKEGAMI Makihiko 国立研究開発法人国立環境研究所, 生物多様性領域, 主任研究員 (60791366)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 外来種 / 生態ニッチ / 種分布モデル / GIS / アリ / 土地利用

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focused on alien ant species, including their native distribution and non-alien species to compare ecological niches using climate and land use data. Through analysis of niche breadth, niche conservatism, niche shifts, and community analysis, we identified alien ant species showed niche conservatism and ecological niche models (Maxent models) with landuse data is effectively predict their distributions. Additionally, principal component analysis was used to evaluate the conservatism and shifts of ecological niches between native and invaded regions, showing that invasive species often exhibit generalist tendencies with broad niche breadths and similar land use types in both native and invaded regions, suggesting species in the same groups can become alien species. These findings provide crucial insights for assessing invasion risks and managing ecosystems and are expected to contribute to effective control measures.

Free Research Field

侵入生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の結果は、外来種の生態ニッチに関する新たな知見を提供し、特に土地利用データを用いた種分布予測の有用性を示している。また、原産地域における外来種の所属する群集解析が潜在的外来種の予測に有用であることも示された。これは外来種の侵入リスク評価や生態系管理において、本研究の予測手法は実践的な防除対策の策定に寄与し、社会的意義も大きいと考えられる。本手法は他の分類群に対する分布予測にも応用可能であり、従来の気候データのみを用いた手法に比べて、より現実的かつ詳細な予測が可能となると考えられるため、保全生態学や生物地理学の分野においても貢献が期待される。