Friday, July 24, 2009

Natural oak forest vs. ancient pine plantations: lizard microhabitat use may explain the effects of ancient reforestations on distribution and conserv

Natural vegetation in Europe appears nowadays deeply modified by human activities. In the Guadarrama Mountains (Central Spain), ancient reforestations with Scots pines, Pinus sylvestris, replaced original deciduous pyrenean oak, Quercus pyrenaica, forests (since the Roman period). However, the effect of reforestations on fauna remains little known, especially in reptiles. We described patterns of microhabitat selection in several species of Lacertid lizards, and analyzed whether the modification of the original vegetation affected distribution and population densities of lizards. The species of lacertid lizards found in oak forests (Psammodromus algirus, Lacerta lepida and Podarcis hispanica) were different to those of in pine plantations (Podarcis muralis and Podarcis hispanica). Lizards did not use habitat at random and this could explain differences in species found in both forests, which differed in some microhabitat structure characteristics. Most lizards selected microhabitats with rocky outcrops, with low cover of trees, and close to refuges. These microhabitat preferences also explained abundance of lizards in transects. From the perspective of conservation and management of lizards, pine plantations seem not to contribute too much to the diversity of lizard species because species typical from oak forests were lost. This study has implications for pine reforestation management, because allowing the recolonization by understoryaPSoaks, and leaving some open areas, without trees but with dense shrubs and rocks inside reforestations would contributed to maintain lizard populations.

Author Affiliation:

(1) Departamento de Ecologia Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain

Article History:

Registration Date: 13/02/2006

Received Date: 17/06/2005

Accepted Date: 10/02/2006

Online Date: 28/04/2006

Source Citation:Amo, Luisa, Pilar Lopez, and Jose Martin. "Natural oak forest vs. ancient pine plantations: lizard microhabitat use may explain the effects of ancient reforestations on distribution and conservation of Iberian lizards.(Author abstract)(Report)." Biodiversity and Conservation 16.12 (Nov 2007): 3409(14). Academic OneFile. Gale. BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARY. 24 July 2009
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