Meeting Abstract
Organisms inhabiting urban environments are exposed to novel challenges which may include increased temperatures, exposure to disease or toxins, disturbance, and novel predators. These environments may also present opportunities including novel niche space or abundant resources for some species. Understanding the impacts of urbanization on species that utilize these habitats is important for predicting the impacts of global change and conservation. The brown anole, Anolis sagrei, and the Puerto Rican crested anole, A. cristatellus, are recent invaders to southern Florida which utilize urban habitats. We assessed impacts of urbanization on morphology (size and body condition), thermal preference, and parasitism (gut and blood parasites) in populations of these species from highly developed habitats and natural forest fragments in the Miami metropolitan area. In urbanized habitats, both species grew larger, but had equal body condition to lizards from natural habitats. A. sagrei, but not A. cristatellus, experienced higher parasitemia in urbanized habitats. Higher parasite load altered thermal preferences in both species. As such, lizards may experience some benefits, including increased size, in urban areas, but are also subject to potential costs, such as increased parasitism and altered thermoregulation. Our results suggest that urban environments may impose novel pressures on organisms and that these may vary across species.
