The roles of stress and immunocompetence in biological invasions

入侵物种对全球生物多样性构成重大威胁；在澳大利亚，甘蔗蟾蜍被广泛认为是最大的问题之一。基于最近的研究揭示了入侵前沿蟾蜍的免疫系统减弱，本项目将提供对甘蔗蟾蜍和本地青蛙免疫反应的全面了解，目的是利用蟾蜍的免疫功能低下状态来开发新的更有效的控制措施。该项目将为生物入侵中的应激和免疫作用建立一个新的范例，适用于控制其他入侵物种，并理解环境变化迫使物种转移其活动范围时的工作过程。

Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity worldwide; and within Australia, cane toads are widely viewed as one of the biggest such problems. Building on recent studies that reveal weakened immune systems in invasion-front toads, this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of immune responses in cane toads and native frogs, with the aim of exploiting the toads' immunocompromised state to develop new and more effective control measures. The project will develop a new paradigm about the roles of stress and immunity in biological invasion, applicable to the control of other invasive species and to understanding processes at work when environmental changes force species to shift their ranges.