Controlling cane toads by turning their own weapons against them

该项目旨在阻止在澳大利亚热带地区造成生态破坏的甘蔗蟾蜍成功繁殖。控制蟾蜍数量的尝试收效甚微，但最近的研究揭示了一种新的可能性--利用蟾蜍自己的武器进行种内冲突。幼虫与其他幼虫竞争激烈，因此进化出了一种杀死竞争对手的方法。蟾蜍蝌蚪产生的化学物质会对自己物种的年轻成员产生毁灭性的影响，但不会对本土物种产生影响。通过部署这些化学物质，该项目可以开发一种新颖而强大的入侵控制形式。

This project aims to prevent cane toads, which are causing ecological havoc across tropical Australia, from breeding successfully. Attempts to control toad populations have had little impact, but recent research has revealed a new possibility — exploiting the toads' own weapons for intraspecific conflict. Larval cane toads compete intensely with other larval cane toads and as a result, have evolved a way to kill off their competitors. Toad tadpoles produce chemicals that have devastating effects on younger members of their own species, but not on native species. By deploying those chemicals, this project could develop a novel and powerful form of invader control.