Microhabitat use, seasonal activity and diet of the snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii fitzingeri) in comparison with sympatric lacertids in Hungary

Biologia ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gábor Herczeg ◽  
Tibor Kovács ◽  
Zoltán Korsós ◽  
János Török
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Inertia ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Stomach Content Analysis ◽  
Food Composition ◽  
Generalist Predator ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Microhabitat Selection ◽  
Seasonal Activity ◽  
Podarcis Muralis ◽  
Lacerta Viridis

AbstractMicrohabitat selection and seasonal activity of the snake-eyed skink, Ablephaus kitaibelii fitzingeri, are compared to the two lacertid lizards (Lacerta viridis and Podarcis muralis) that co-occur in many of its habitats. The food composition of A. k. fitzingeri is also described. Significant differences in microhabitat selection and seasonal activity among the three species were found. The snake-eyed skink was associated with open grasslands, and with a low level of scrub, bare soil and rock cover. The microhabitat preference of L. viridis was quite similar to that of the skink, but with a higher preference for scrub. P. muralis occurred in places with greater rock and bare soil cover, and more scrub than A. k. fitzingeri. Activity of the snake-eyed skink decreased dramatically in summer, probably because of the reduced thermal inertia originating from the extremely small size of this species, but its seasonal activity overlapped with those of the lacertids. Stomach content analysis of the snake-eyed skink suggests that it is a generalist predator of small, mainly flightless arthropod prey. Competition with juvenile lacertids and predation by adult L. viridis are conceivable for the snake-eyed skink.

Microhabitat use of different age groups of snake-eyed skink and Eastern green lizard

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dániel Kovács ◽  
István Kiss
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Management ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Carpathian Basin ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
Natural Grasslands ◽  
Lacerta Viridis ◽  
First Time

Although Ablepharus kitaibelii and its subspecies are wide-spread, being distributed from the Carpathian Basin through the Balkans to Iraq, their habitat and environmental niche is poorly known. Ablepharus kitaibelii fitzingeri is almost entirely limited to the Carpathian Basin, and is amongst the most strictly protected and least known reptiles of Central and Eastern Europe. The main aim of our study was to determine habitat use preferences of different age groups of A. kitaibelii fitzingeri and Lacerta viridis. The occurrence of green lizard was determined by the abundance of refugia rather than by the naturalness of grasslands. The snake-eyed skink prefers semi-natural grasslands with abundant tussock-forming grass or sedge species, avoiding densely shrubby places. For the first time, we show that woodland mosaics lacking shrubs and temporary grasslands next to forest edges are important for the species. Microhabitat use by snake-eyed skink varies with age group; adults preferring shady edge zones rich in leaf litter and shadier grassland spots provided by woodland mosaics, whereas juveniles were found in natural, more open grasslands far from forest edges and in woodland mosaics with dense shrubby understory. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the ecological needs of A. kitaibelii fitzingeri. Our methodology could be adapted to other species and subspecies of Ablepharus. Based on our results, it is important to reconsider habitat management activities, which should not be limited to shrub control: the main goal should be the development of a diverse habitat structure.

Differences in microhabitat selection patterns between a remnant and constructed landscape following management intervention

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose W. Valdez ◽  
Kaya Klop-Toker ◽  
Michelle P. Stockwell ◽  
Loren Fardell ◽  
Simon Clulow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Probability Of Detection ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Microhabitat Selection ◽  
Habitat Creation ◽  
Litoria Aurea ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Detection Probabilities ◽  
Future Management

Context Achieving successful conservation outcomes in habitat creation and reintroductions requires an understanding of how species use their habitat and respond to these interventions. However, few initiatives directly compare microhabitat selection between remnant and managed habitats to measure effectiveness and evaluate outcomes. Probability of detection is also rarely included in studies on microhabitat use, which may lead to erroneous conclusions if detectability varies between variables. Methods In this study, we used the endangered green and golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) to compare differences in microhabitat-use patterns in both a remnant and a constructed habitat. A detectability study was also conducted to determine detection probabilities among microhabitats. Key results Aquatic vegetation was used more than expected in both the remnant and constructed habitats, and rock piles were utilised less than expected in the constructed habitat, despite their recommendation in most habitat templates. We found that detection probabilities altered the outcomes of abundance estimates for nearly all the measured microhabitat variables. Conclusions Future management for this species should focus on providing high proportions of aquatic vegetation. Furthermore, although rock piles have been utilised greatly in past L. aurea habitat creation, placing large rocks on a managed site is expensive and time consuming. Future management initiatives may need to focus on providing smaller proportion of rocks, which would be a more appropriate use of resources. Implications With conservation management projects increasing over the next few decades, understanding habitat use before implementing strategies should be a priority as it will provide important insights and inform decision-making for optimum habitat creation and restoration. Furthermore, accounting for detectability in microhabitat use studies is essential to avoid wrong conclusions that may negatively affect the success of ecological management strategies.

Hyper-validation of five nomina of amphibians and reptiles threatened by senior synonyms or homonyms

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3221 (1) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALAIN DUBOIS ◽  
ROGER BOUR
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Podarcis Muralis ◽  
Triturus Cristatus ◽  
Lacerta Viridis

Five nomina of amphibians and reptiles introduced by Laurenti (1768) and traditionally used in European herpetology (Hyla,Natrix, Lacerta viridis, Podarcis muralis, Triturus cristatus) are threatened by senior synonyms or homonyms published earlierby Garsault (1764) in a work that has long remained unnoticed by herpetologists. In a previous paper, we used Article 23.9.1 ofthe Code on reversal of precedence to validate these well-known nomina. The validity of our action was challenged because wehad only used indirect evidence for this validation, quoting a single reference for each of these five nomina instead of 25. Herewe argue that our action was indeed valid under the Code, but, to preclude any further discussion, we provide 25 references or more to the use of each of these five nomina in order to “hyper-validate” them.

Patterns and scale of habitat use in two temperate-zone, small mammal faunas

1984 ◽  
Vol 62 (8) ◽  
pp. 1540-1547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas W. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Small Mammal ◽  
Habitat Preference ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Microhabitat Selection ◽  
Extinction Probabilities ◽  
Mammal Faunas

Small mammals were livetrapped and habitat quantified in replicates of six macrohabitats in Alberta and in temporal replicates of four macrohabitats in Ontario, Canada. Similar patterns emerged in both locations. The relative abundances of small mammals depended upon macrohabitat; within macrohabitats, species differed significantly in microhabitat use. The patterns were dynamic and probably the result of habitat preference instead of species interactions. Macrohabitat differences may in part be outcomes of microhabitat selection, but are unlikely to be completely understood without superimposing colonization and extinction probabilities on habitat selection models. Field biologists must recognize both scales of habitat to interpret patterns of species distribution.

"Scan" behaviour in Podarcis muralis: the use of vantage points by an actively foraging lizard

1993 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 247-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Avery ◽  
Annabel Basker ◽  
Claudia Corti
Keyword(s):  
Heating Rate ◽  
Rapid Heating ◽  
Thin Strip ◽  
Podarcis Muralis ◽  
Podarcis Sicula ◽  
Lacerta Viridis ◽  
Lower Heating Rate ◽  
Vantage Points ◽  
Rapid Heating Rate ◽  
Lower Heating

AbstractTwo adult Podarcis muralis whose normal movements incorporated the flat top of a wall, frequently paused so that they were looking outwards from an edge ("scan" posture), especially during longer (≥9 s) periods immobile. Investigations of the posture on raised wooden platforms in outdoor enclosures, using two juvenile lizards, showed that (1) lizards spent significantly more time on platforms than would be expected from random movement, and this was not because wood is a favoured substrate for basking; (2) lizards which were immobile on platforms spent significantly more time at edges than would be expected by chance; (3) body orientations at 67.5-112.5° to the edge were the most frequent and these were maintained for significantly longer periods than the remaining orientations; exceptions were from 0800-0900 h when orientation was often parallel to the edge facing the sun and from 1200-1300 h with only a thin strip of shade at 45°, into which the lizards fitted themselves. Lizards basking in the laboratory beneath a tungsten bulb at the edge of a raised platform adopted outward-facing orientations when the platform height was ≥6 mm. When presented with a choice between basking more effectively (i.e. rapid heating rate) or adopting the "scan" posture at an edge with a lower heating rate or with no heating, they opted for the former. Podarcis sicula, P. filfolensis, Lacerta viridis and L. vivipara all showed an excess of outward-facing orientations when the basking bulbs were place near edges of platforms, but Psammodromus hispanicus did not. Only the two Podarcis species, however, spent more time on raised platforms than would be expected by chance when basking was possible at many sites in an arena.

Effects of forest degradation on abundance and microhabitat selection by ground dwelling Chaco lizards

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolás Pelegrin ◽  
Enrique Hugo Bucher ◽  
Ada Lilian Echevarría ◽  
José María Chani
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Vegetation Structure ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Microhabitat Selection ◽  
Bare Ground ◽  
Thermal Requirements ◽  
Plastic Process ◽  
Disturbed Forest ◽  
Forest Conditions

AbstractHuman-induced degradation of Chaco forests has led to a mosaic of habitats with different forest conditions, offering different habitat suitability characteristics to the native fauna. Abundance and microhabitat use of Teius teyou, Liolaemus chacoensis, Cnemidophorus ocellifer, and Tropidurus etheridgei were analyzed in the western Chaco forest of Argentina. A mature forest that has remained undisturbed for the last 30 years (Los Colorados Biological Station, LC) and a highly disturbed forest (Campo Grande, CG) were compared through diurnal visual encounter surveys along 74 1-km transects. Lizards were assigned to the microhabitat category according to the site where they were first observed (bare ground, litter/grass/herbs, shrubs or trees). T. teyou preferred bare ground in LC, avoiding litter/grass/herbs and using shrubs according to availability, whereas in CG the species preferred shrubs, avoiding bare ground. C. ocellifer used microhabitats according to their availability in LC, whereas in CG, this species preferred shrubs and avoided the remaining microhabitats. L. chacoensis preferred bare ground in LC, using litter/grass/herbs and shrubs according to availability. In CG, the species used bare ground according to availability, preferred shrubs, and avoided litter/grass/herbs. T. etheridgei preferred bare ground in LC, avoiding litter/grass/herbs, and using shrubs according to availability, whereas in CG both bare ground and shrubs were preferred, and litter/grass/herbs was avoided. Our results suggest that microhabitat selection by lizards in the Chaco is a plastic process influenced by vegetation structure, and probably regulated by lizards' thermal requirements.

scholarly journals Importance of microhabitat selection by birds for the early recruitment of endangered trees in a fragmented forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Li ◽  
Zheng Wang ◽  
Yao Cai ◽  
Lin Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Plant Regeneration ◽  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Taxus Chinensis ◽  
Microhabitat Selection ◽  
Fragmented Forest ◽  
Litter Cover ◽  
Emergence Rate ◽  
Fragmented Forests ◽  
Early Recruitment

Abstract Background Remnant microhabitats are important for bird habitat selection and plant regeneration in the fragmented habitat. However, empirical information on the consequences of how microhabitat use by birds affects the early recruitment of plants is lacking. Methods In this study, we evaluated whether microhabitat selection by the Black Bulbul (Hypsipetes leucocephalus) (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) impacts the early recruitment of the endangered tree species, the Chinese Yew (Taxus chinensis (Pilger) Rehd), in a fragmented forest over a 4-year period (2011–2012, 2018–2019). Results Our results showed the main factors affecting H. leucocephalus microhabitat selection were distance to the nearest T. chinensis mature tree, herb cover and density, leaf litter cover, and vegetation type. Moreover, the results of logistic regression also highlighted the importance of elevation, distance to light gap and roads, tree cover in bird microhabitat selection. Furthermore, the seed emergence rate in microhabitats used by birds did not differ from the natural forest, which was related to five factors of bird microhabitat. The Random Forest model showed that seedling emergence rate was increased with leaf litter cover and distance to fallen dead trees, but decreased in relation to herb cover, slope, and elevation. Conclusion Our results highlight the importance of remnant microhabitats in fragmented forests for sustaining forest ecology and optimal management. The contribution of microhabitats used by birds to plant recruitment provides insights into how frugivore species contribute to plant regeneration, which should be incorporated in future conservation and management practices of fragmented forests.

Soil moisture estimation from high-resolution UASs imagery based on machine learning approaches for land cover classification

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa Pizzolla ◽  
Silvano Fortunato Dal Sasso ◽  
Ruodan Zhuang ◽  
Alonso Pizarro ◽  
Salvatore Manfreda
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Thermal Inertia ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
Unmanned Aerial Systems ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Land Use Classification ◽  
Aerial Systems

<p>Soil moisture (SM) is an essential variable in the earth system as it influences water, energy and, carbon fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere. The SM spatio-temporal variability requires detailed analyses, high-definition optics and fast computing approaches for near real-time SM estimation at different spatial scales. Remote Sensing-based Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) represents the actual solution providing low-cost approaches to meet the requirements of spatial, spectral and temporal resolutions [1; 3; 4]. In this context, a proper land use classification is crucial in order to discriminate the behaviors of vegetation and bare soil in such high-resolution imagery. Therefore, high-resolution UASs-based imagery requires a specific images classification approach also considering the illumination conditions. In this work, the land use classification was carried out using a methodology based on a combined machine learning approaches: k-means clustering algorithm for removing shadow pixels from UASs images and, binary classifier for vegetation filtering. This approach led to identifying the bare soil on which SM estimation was computed using the Apparent Thermal Inertia (ATI) method [2]. The estimated SM values were compared with field measurements obtaining a good correlation (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.80). The accuracy of the results shows good reliability of the procedure and allows extending the use of UASs also in unclassified areas and ungauged basins, where the monitoring of the SM is very complex.</p><p><strong>References</strong></p><p>[1] Manfreda, S., McCabe, M.F., Miller, P.E., Lucas, R., Pajuelo Madrigal, V., Mallinis, G., Ben Dor, E., Helman, D., Estes, L., Ciraolo, G., et al. On the Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Environmental Monitoring, Remote Sensing, 2018, 10, 641.</p><p>[2] Minacapilli, M., Cammalleri, C., Ciraolo, G., D’Asaro, F., Iovino, M., and Maltese, A. Thermal Inertia Modeling for Soil Surface Water Content Estimation: A Laboratory Experiment. Soil. Sci. Soc. Amer. J. 2012, vol.76, n.1, pp. 92–100</p><p>[3] Paruta, A., P. Nasta, G. Ciraolo, F. Capodici, S. Manfreda, N. Romano, E. Bendor, Y. Zeng, A. Maltese, S. F. Dal Sasso and R. Zhuang, A geostatistical approach to map near-surface soil moisture through hyper-spatial resolution thermal inertia, IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 2020.</p><p>[4] Petropoulos, G.P., A. Maltese, T. N. Carlson, G. Provenzano, A. Pavlides, G. Ciraolo, D. Hristopulos, F. Capodici, C. Chalkias, G. Dardanelli, S. Manfreda, Exploring the use of UAVs with the simplified “triangle” technique for Soil Water Content and Evaporative Fraction retrievals in a Mediterranean setting, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 2020.</p>

scholarly journals Microhabitat use and diet of Anotosaura vanzolinia(Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) in a Caatinga area, Brazil

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 193-198
Author(s):  
Bruno Halluan Soares de Oliveira ◽  
André Luiz Machado Pessanha
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Stomach Content ◽  
Soil Type ◽  
Soil Fauna ◽  
Stomach Content Analysis ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Morphometric Measurements ◽  
Dietary Analysis ◽  
Rocky Outcrops ◽  
Active Searching

This study aimed to analyze the microhabitat use and diet of the lizard Gymnophthalmidae Anotosaura vanzolinia (Dixon 1974) in the Complexo Aluízio Campos (7° 16′ 34″ S, 35° 53′ 7″ W), an area of the Caatinga in the Campina Grande, Paraíba. We studied a total of 12 transects by active searching during the daytime. In each sample, habitat and microhabitat types occupied by the specimen were categorized, together with solar incidence and soil type. For all individuals, morphometric measurements were performed, as well as dissection for stomach content analysis. We collected a total of 46 individuals, with a snout-vent length ranging between 19 and 45 mm, collected over all habitats, with prevalence in soil and earthy litter microhabitats near rocky outcrops. The dietary analysis showed a use of items of soil fauna and identified 14 types of prey, mainly insects such as termites and ants. It was observed that smaller individuals (SVL < 30 mm) fed mainly on Hymenoptera (Family Formicidae), whereas larger individuals (SVL > 30 mm) selected Isoptera.

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