Invasive range expansion for pythons in Florida often follows which type of geographical feature according to dispersal models?
Answer
Established hydrological corridors or major topographical features
Modeling of invasive range expansion indicates that dispersal tends to utilize existing natural pathways rather than expanding uniformly. For pythons in Florida, the highly interconnected nature of the freshwater systems acts effectively as a superhighway, facilitating rapid colonization across available habitats, which allows movement to areas like the Florida Gulf Coast. These hydrological corridors, along with major topographical features, dictate the routes by which the snakes rapidly colonize new territory, leading to uneven expansion patterns rather than a perfect circle.
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