13th Herpetological Association of Africa conference

We had a great time at Bonamanzi Game Reserve for the 13th Herpetological Association of Africa conference.

In addition to the great photo there were lots of presentations from the MeaseyLab, including INVAXEN work and aSCR:

Estimating the global population size of a species that is hard to find: The case of Rose’s mountain toadlet
FRANCOIS BECKER, RES ALTWEGG , JOHN MEASEY, JASPER SLINGSBY & KRYSTAL A. TOLLEY

Parasite introduction to the endangered western leopard toad: Spill-over or spill-back?
NATASHA KRUGER, LOUIS H. DU PREEZ & JOHN MEASEY

Densities of Arthroleptella lightfooti across the Cape Peninsula: Preliminary results from acoustic spatial capture-recapture
MARIKE LOUW, RES ALTWEGG, ANDREW TURNER, JASPER SLINGSBY, BEN STEVENSON, DAVID BORCHERS & JOHN MEASEY

Who croaked? What the fossil frog bones say
THALASSA MATTHEWS & JOHN MEASEY

Counting chirps: Acoustic monitoring of cryptic frogs
JOHN MEASEY, BEN STEVENSON, TANYA SCOTT, RES ALTWEGG & DAVID BORCHERS

Modelling current and future distributions of three African anurans representing different functional groups: An ecophysiology modelling approach
MOHLAMATSANE M. MOKHATLA, DENNIS RÖDDER & JOHN MEASEY

Frog Olympics: Exploring the locomotory ecomorphology of the pyxicephalid radiation in southern Africa
ALEXANDER D. REBELO & JOHN MEASEY

Global realized niche divergence in the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis
DENNIS RÖDDER, FLORA IHLOW, JULIEN COURANT, JEAN SECONDI, ANTHONY HERREL, RUI REBELO, JOHN MEASEY, FRANCESCO LILLO, F. ANDRÉ DE VILLIERS, CHARLOTTE DE BUSSCHERE & THIERRY BACKELJAU

The relative tadpole vulnerability of Xenopus tadpoles to X. laevis predators
COREY J. THORP, JAMES R. VONESH & JOHN MEASEY

Frog metapopulation dynamics in the Western Cape
ANDREW A. TURNER, JOHN MEASEY & KRYSTAL A. TOLLEY

Never underestimate your opponent: Adaptive phenotypic response in a recent amphibian invader
GIOVANNI VIMERCATI, SARAH J. DAVIES & JOHN MEASEY

Impacts of climate change on the global invasion potential of the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis
FLORA IHLOW, JULIEN COURANT, JEAN SECONDI, ANTHONY HERREL, RUI REBELO, JOHN MEASEY, FRANCESCO LILLO, F. ANDRÉ DE VILLIERS, SOLVEIG VOGT, THIERRY BACKELJAU & DENNIS RÖDDER

How well do alien amphibian assessments match?

There are a growing number of impact classification schemes for invasive species. Here we use invasive amphibians to compare how scores match. See the paper in NeoBiota here.

Classification of alien species’ impacts can aid policy making through evidence based listing and management recommendations. We highlight differences and a number of potential difficulties with two scoring tools, the Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa (EICAT) and the Generic Impact Scoring System (GISS) using amphibians as a case study. Generally, GISS and EICAT assessments lead to very similar impact levels, but scores from the schemes are not equivalent. Small differences are attributable to discrepancies in the verbal descriptions for scores. Differences were found in several impact categories. While the issue of disease appears to be related to uncertainties in both schemes, hybridisation might be inflated in EICAT. We conclude that GISS scores cannot directly be translated into EICAT classifications, but they give very similar outcomes and the same literature base can be used for both schemes.

Getting the year off to a stylish start with the MeaseyLab retreat at Bonamanzi & Mtenzini

We had an amazing time focussed around finding tree agamas (Acanthocercus atricollis) for Nick's project. The first week at Bonamanzi was a total failure with only 3 agamas seen after rain finally came (during the HAA conference). 

However, once we moved to Mtenzini there were lots of agamas to be had, and we developed a cruising style around the neighbourhood which netted us >20 animals in a couple of days. 

Note the presence of special guest star Dennis Rödder. Dennis joined us for the whole trip and we had a lotta fun. Also seen here are the HAA twins (Alex & Gio), Nyala braai (thanks to interrupting poachers at Bonamanzi) and Ma'Rake - of the golf course, Mtenzini.

You can't unify invasion ecology with functional responses

Do you remember the workshop back in November 2015? This meeting has now produced a series of publications in Biological Invasions:

Functional responses can unify invasion ecology

Functional responses can’t unify invasion ecology

Fictional responses from Vonesh et al.

Rather than unifying invasion biology, Dick et al.’s approach rests on subjective foundations

It's a great academic back and forth that we really hope you enjoy reading...

There's a multi-step process to becoming a Dr in South Africa. Gio submitted his thesis in mid-November 2016 and it was read by three examiners. Their reports were sent to the dean, but before the paperwork was complete Gio had to defend his thesis before a panel of luminaries. Of course, they were all very impressed. His thesis "Exploring the invasion of the guttural toad Sclerophrys gutturalis in Cape Town through a multidisciplinary approach" was co-supervised by Sarah Davies.

There wasn't much time to celebrate as we all flew off the next day to KZN. However, Gio managed to find time to stop by at the local supermarket to buy ingredients for a traditional dish.

It's been great having you in the MeaseyLab. We've enjoyed all your enthusiasm, ideas and tutilage in pasta cooking!