Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools

Jacquelyn C. Guzy; Bryan G. Falk; Brian J. Smith; John David Willson; Robert N. Reed; Nicholas G. Aumen; Michael L. Avery; Ian A. Bartoszek; Earl Campbell; Michael S. Cherkiss; Natalie M. Claunch; Andrea F. Currylow; Tylan Dean; Jeremy Dixon; Richard Engeman; Sarah Funck; Rebekah Gibble; Kodiak C. Hengstebeck; John S. Humphrey; Margaret E. Hunter; Jillian M. Josimovich; Jennifer Ketterlin; Michael Kirkland; Frank J. Mazzotti; Robert McCleery; Melissa A. Miller; Matthew McCollister; M. Rockwell Parker; Shannon E. Pittman; Michael Rochford; Christina Romagosa; Art Roybal; Ray W. Snow; McKayla M. Spencer; J. Hardin Waddle; Amy A. Yackel Adams; Kristen M. Hart

doi:10.3897/neobiota.80.90439

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NeoBiota 80: 1-119
https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.80.90439 (10 Jan 2023)

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Article title
Abstract
Keywords
Introduction
Natural history of Burmese pythons
- Identification
- Taxonomy
- Demography
  - Survival
  - Mortality
  - Reproduction
  - Size distribution
  - Hatchling size
  - Size at maturity
  - Maximum size
  - Growth and longevity
- Physiology
  - Thermal biology
  - Osmoregulation
  - Energetics and digestion
Detection probability
- Types of detection probability
  - Species detection
  - Environmental DNA as a detection tool for pythons
  - Challenges with eDNA
  - Individual detection
Burmese python arrival in Florida
- History of imports into the USA
- History of the invasive Florida population
- Introduction scenarios
  - Primary introduction
  - Possible secondary introduction
  - Population genetics
Status of the Florida population
- Abundance
  - Challenges interpreting removal data
  - Density
- Geographic distribution
  - Range in Florida
  - Early detection using eDNA
  - Potential range
  - Refugia
  - Cold tolerance
- Movement
  - Navigation and homing
  - Dispersal
  - Home range
  - Habitat use
Burmese python impacts
- Human safety
- Direct ecological impacts on wildlife
  - Foraging strategy
  - Diet
  - Species of concern
  - Mammal declines
- Indirect ecological impacts
  - Parasites and pathogens
  - Trophic-structure changes
What do we know about control tools?
- Visual and road surveys
  - Removal programs
  - Cost of visual surveys
  - Future applications of visual surveys
- Scout snakes
  - Cost of scout snakes
  - Future applications of scout snakes
- Trapping
  - Experiments
  - Cost of trapping
  - Challenges with trapping
- Pheromones
- Scent detection dogs
  - Cost of scent detection dogs
- Toxicants
- Control tool summary
Future research
- Population suppression
- Refinement of existing control tools
  - Baseline abundance estimation
  - Relative abundance and abundance indices
- Long-term projects and infrastructure
- Biologging tools to inform python behavior
- Development of new control tools
  - Technical aspects of the research
  - Gene drive regulation and stakeholder engagement
  - Demography and genetic biocontrol
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
References
Supplementary materials

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