Establishment potential across South Korea for two gecko species, Gekko japonicus and G. swinhonis, adapted to different climates

Abstract

The introduction of exotic species and the associated impacts are increasing worldwide due to the development and increase in transportation and international trade. As new populations of the non-native Gekko japonicus and G. swinhonis have recently been discovered in South Korea, this study was conducted to investigate the distribution of these species, evaluate the establishment potential of non-native populations and infer their routes of introduction. The study comprised targeted field surveys around the major international ports, generation of ecological niche models (ENMs), based on the known distributions and comparison of the ecological niches of the two species. The results suggest that G. japonicus and G. swinhonis are primarily distributed in the humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and the monsoon-influenced hot-summer humid continental climate (Dwa), respectively. According to the ENMs predicted across South Korea, suitable habitats for G. japonicus were located along the western and southern coasts of the country, whereas those for G. swinhonis were predicted along the western coastal regions and several major cities inland. These distributional patterns may be attributed to adaptations of the two gecko congeners to distinct climatic conditions leading to divergent ecological niches. Considering the known distributions of the two species in South Korea, the most likely routes of introduction are accidental translocations through international trade and the inland populations most likely originated from human-mediated dispersals along the major rivers. This study highlights the need to implement quarantine procedures for international cargo arriving in South Korea. Additional field surveys are further recommended to focus on urban areas adjacent to international ports and major rivers to curtail further introductions of non-native geckos.