preference 8 2 ABSTRACT 9Persistence of animals in urban habitats, a stark environmental contrast to natural 10 habitats, can be explained through evaluating the mechanisms behind organism-habitat 11 interactions. One of the most notable effects of urbanization is the change in structural habitat; 12 vegetation is removed and modified, favoring large trees and adding artificial structures in cities, 13 which may alter how organismal preferences for aspects of the habitat are realized. We evaluated 14 the mechanisms by which structural habitat changes associated with urbanization alter the 15 available vegetation and substrates on which two species of Anolis lizards perch in urban and 16 natural forest sites in Miami, FL. We also experimentally assessed habitat preference in the lab 17 to establish the mechanism behind habitat selection. We found that vegetation was broader in 18 urban areas compared to natural habitats, and artificial structures in urban areas were more than 19 twice the diameter of available natural perches. Lizards expressed their preference for broad 20 perches by selecting broader vegetation and artificial structures compared to their availability in 21 both habitats. With the increased availability of broad substrates in urban areas, perch diameters 22 selected by lizards resulted in an expansion of this aspect of the structural habitat niche for both 23 species. The two species differed, however, in other responses to altered urban habitats. Anolis 24 cristatellus tended to avoid artificial substrates, whereas A. sagrei used both natural and artificial 25 structures in proportion to their availabilities. This study provides a mechanistic explanation for 26 how urbanization alters structural habitats, leading to niche expansion for organisms living in 27 cities.28
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.