Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem

The large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) is native to Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. It was introduced to Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (TdF), an island shared by Chile and Argentina, in 1982. Its rapid spread in TdF poses a threat to native species. We evaluated the species’...

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Main Authors: Rominna Pasutti Morales, Camilo Matus, Claudia Cerda, Mariella Superina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad de Concepción 2025-06-01
Series:Gayana
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Online Access:https://gayana.cl/index.php/gn/article/view/398
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author Rominna Pasutti Morales
Camilo Matus
Claudia Cerda
Mariella Superina
author_facet Rominna Pasutti Morales
Camilo Matus
Claudia Cerda
Mariella Superina
author_sort Rominna Pasutti Morales
collection DOAJ
description The large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) is native to Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. It was introduced to Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (TdF), an island shared by Chile and Argentina, in 1982. Its rapid spread in TdF poses a threat to native species. We evaluated the species’ potential niche shift and expansion in the island ecosystem. Using species occurrence records, bioclimatic variables, and modeling frameworks (COUE and n-dimensional hypervolumes), we compared the climatic niches of the native and invasive ranges. Our results suggest that C. villosus has encountered new climatic conditions in TdF, showing niche differentiation while retaining similarities to its native range. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) under current and future climate scenarios (ssp126 and ssp585) predict southward expansion, driven by climate change. These findings highlight the species’ adaptability and potential for further colonization, emphasizing the need for proactive management to mitigate its ecological impact on TdF’s fragile ecosystem.
format Article
id doaj-art-ae42aef2fd07437281623855931cd00a
institution Kabale University
issn 0717-652X
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language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Universidad de Concepción
record_format Article
series Gayana
spelling doaj-art-ae42aef2fd07437281623855931cd00a2025-08-20T03:58:15ZengUniversidad de ConcepciónGayana0717-652X0717-65382025-06-01891Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystemRominna Pasutti Morales0https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0028-160XCamilo Matus1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2436-8374Claudia Cerda2Mariella Superina3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6812-1237Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Silvoagropecuarias y Veterinarias, Campus Sur Universidad de Chile, La Pintana, Santiago, ChileWildlife Ecology and Conservation Lab, Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, ChileUniversidad de Chile, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Departamento de Gestión Forestal y su Medio Ambiente, La Pintana, Santiago, Chile.Laboratorio de Medicina y Endocrinología de la Fauna Silvestre, IMBECU, UNCuyo – CONICET, Parque Gral. San Martín, Mendoza (5500), Argentina. The large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) is native to Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. It was introduced to Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego (TdF), an island shared by Chile and Argentina, in 1982. Its rapid spread in TdF poses a threat to native species. We evaluated the species’ potential niche shift and expansion in the island ecosystem. Using species occurrence records, bioclimatic variables, and modeling frameworks (COUE and n-dimensional hypervolumes), we compared the climatic niches of the native and invasive ranges. Our results suggest that C. villosus has encountered new climatic conditions in TdF, showing niche differentiation while retaining similarities to its native range. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) under current and future climate scenarios (ssp126 and ssp585) predict southward expansion, driven by climate change. These findings highlight the species’ adaptability and potential for further colonization, emphasizing the need for proactive management to mitigate its ecological impact on TdF’s fragile ecosystem. https://gayana.cl/index.php/gn/article/view/398armadillosChlamyphoridaeclimate changeinvasive speciesniche shift
spellingShingle Rominna Pasutti Morales
Camilo Matus
Claudia Cerda
Mariella Superina
Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem
Gayana
armadillos
Chlamyphoridae
climate change
invasive species
niche shift
title Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem
title_full Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem
title_fullStr Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem
title_full_unstemmed Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem
title_short Is the niche shift a driver of invasion success? Case study of the large hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus villosus) in a Sub-Antarctic ecosystem
title_sort is the niche shift a driver of invasion success case study of the large hairy armadillo chaetophractus villosus in a sub antarctic ecosystem
topic armadillos
Chlamyphoridae
climate change
invasive species
niche shift
url https://gayana.cl/index.php/gn/article/view/398
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