Population Viability of Nonnative Mediterranean House Geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) at an Urban Site Near the Northern Invasion Front

Abstract

Abstract Biological invasions are one of the most serious threats to biodiversity conservation. Although success and impacts of many invaders, particularly ectotherms, are likely to be limited by a combination of climatic and demographic factors, human modifications to the environment can facilitate distributional expansion into otherwise low-quality landscapes. We assessed factors that might promote or preclude population viability of a nonnative ectotherm, Hemidactylus turcicus (Mediterranean House Gecko), within an urban center at the northern periphery of its known North American range. Mediterranean House Geckos are increasingly apparent in the southeastern United States, but their potential for establishment and spread in more temperate regions is less well known. We gathered data using capture–recapture methods and the unique dorsal patterns of individual geckos. Despite a more temperate climate compared to other areas in their introduced range, and refuge temperatures falling below the critical th...