This assignment is based on the article Download the article, “The ecological impact of invasive cane toads on tropical snakes: Field data do not support laboratory-based predictions” by Brown et al.
Based on your reading of the article, in one short paragraph explain how the authors thought that invasive cane toads would affect native Australian snake species (both the effect and the rationale for why it would occur). If the effect varies by type of snake, describe this and explain why.
What characteristics of Australian snakes might make it harder to see the effect of the cane toads? List at least two characteristics and explain why they might obscure the effects.
As you are reading the article, note 3 words that you do not know the meaning of. Write each one down along with the page it is on and the sentence in which it occurs. Guess what the word means based on the context. Then look up the actual meaning and write a sentence of your own using it.
Explain what the term “encounter rate” means and why it might not perfectly reflect the abundance of a species in a habitat.
Consider Figures 1, 2 and 3. Explain what the figures are showing. Sketch or describe what you would expect an individual panel (such as 1a, 1b, 1c, etc) to look like if cane toads are causing a decline in a given snake species. Which panels (species) show that pattern?
Summarize the take-home point of this paper. How does it relate to the general theoretical framework that invasive species are bad for native species? Explain.
