Host-parasite interactions during a biological invasion: toads, frogs and nematodes in tropical Australia

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Cane toads were introduced to Australia 70 years ago, and are widely believed to cause major problems for native ecosystems. My work has identified another impact of cane toads: they have brought some of their native-range parasites with them from Central America, and at least one species (a lungworm) now attacks native Australian frogs. This project will explore the impact of the parasite on native frogs as well as on the toads themselves, and determine why some (but not all) toad populations in Australia have escaped from these viability-reducing parasites. My work will clarify host-parasite coevolution, the ecological impact of invasive organisms, and the feasibility of using parasites to help control toads within Australia.