Dr. Scheffers Receives SE CASC Funding for Research on Invasive Species Shifts in the Southeast
Dr. Brett Scheffers, Water Institute Affiliate Faculty and Assistant Professor in the Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at UF/IFAS, has received funding from the Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) to assess shifts in invasive species’ ranges in the Southeast due to climate change. The UF Water Institute facilitated this grant through their role as a partner and consortium member of SE CASC. Scheffers will be collaborating with the Water Institute, US Geological Survey, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the project.
As climate changes, invasive species are expected to expand their ranges to new regions, which can cause damage to native plants and animals. Scheffers and his team will use models to predict the spread of invasive species in the Southeast under different climate change scenarios to understand the extent, timing and way in which invasive species may spread. They will also assess how management strategies can be used to stop or slow the spread and minimize impact.
Click here to read more about the project.
Examples of invasive species Scheffers may model include the Burmese python and feral hog (photos courtesy of Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission).
December 7, 2020