A direct benefit of native saltbush revegetation for an endemic lizard (Tiliqua rugosa) in southern Australia

Abstract

Land alteration for intensive agriculture has been a major cause of species decline and extinction globally. In marginal grazing regions of southern Australia, native perennial shrubs are increasingly being planted to supplement pasture feeding of stock. Such revegetation has the benefits of reducing erosion and salinity, and importantly, the potential provision of habitat for native fauna. We explored the use of revegetated native saltbush by the sleepy lizard (Tiliqua rugosa) an endemic Australian species common in the region. We repeatedly sampled revegetated saltbush throughout 2010 and 2011 for adults (n = 55) and juveniles (n = 26). Using genotypes from eight microsatellite loci, parents were assigned to half of all juveniles with high statistical confidence. Parents were sampled in the same patch of revegetated saltbush as their offspring, thus supporting the observation that juvenile sleepy lizards remain within the home range of their parents before dispersal. Most importantly, our findings indicate that revegetated saltbush provides important habitat for T. rugosa at significant life stages – before and during breeding for adults, and before dispersal for juveniles. We conclude that revegetation using simple, monoculture plantations provides beneficial habitat for T. rugosa and may also be beneficial habitat for other native species in human-altered agricultural landscapes.

The use of body condition and haematology to detect widespread threatening processes in sleepy lizards (Tiliqua rugosa) in two agricultural environments

“…The epitope can be a normal cellular component or a viral, bacterial or parasitic protein, a drug or a toxin that is on the surface of the cell [ 41 ]. Blood parasites can induce haemolytic anaemia in reptiles but were not found in either of the study sites [ 22 ]. Toxins can also damage the RBC making it less flexible resulting in its premature destruction.…”

“…This study took place in the South Australian Murray Mallee (SAMM) region [ 22 ]. Adult T. rugosa were captured for sampling at one rangeland (Baseline) site (BS0–120 km 2 ) near Mt.…”

“…Lizards were surveyed in both types of sites by employing a single reptile visual encounter survey published for another study [ 22 ]. Surveys were undertaken multiple times in the Baseline site and once in woodland remnants and revegetated saltbush within the Severe sites.…”

The natural history of the sleepy lizard, Tiliqua rugosa (Gray, 1825) – Insight from chance observations and long‐term research on a common Australian skink species

“…; Lancaster et al . ). Studies into the utilization of refuges found that sleepy lizards make use of numerous refuges within their home ranges (Leu et al .…”

Use of functional traits to identify Australian forage grasses, legumes and shrubs for domestication and use in pastoral areas under a changing climate

“…In Australia, commodities that result from pasture production have been valued at AU$9.3 billion (ABARES 2011). These species also contribute a 'difficult-to-measure' value in providing ecosystem services, including increased water use, thus correcting hydrological imbalances associated with annual cropping systems (Farrington et al 1992;BarrettLennard 2002), improving soil stability (Le Houérou 1992), and providing habitat for native animals (Lancaster et al 2012) and amenity species in facilities such as sports grounds and golf courses as well as in residential gardens (Chapman et al 2012).…”