Mating system structure and population density in a polygynous lizard, Sauromalus obesus (= ater)

Kwiatkowski, Matthew A.

doi:10.1093/beheco/13.2.201

Cited by 52 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…During years with high annual plant Table 2 Estimated shifts in the area (ha) and mean elevation (m) of suitable habitat under a gradient of increasing severity of climate change (mean maximum July temperature increase [ C], and decrease in mean precipitation [mm] productivity they consume those annual plants, but during dry years chuckwallas shift to consuming flowers and leaves from perennial woody shrubs and trees (Johnson, 1965;Nagy, 1973;Berry, 1974;Kwiatkowski and Sullivan, 2002). Those shrubs and trees often have deeper roots as well as other drought survival strategies and so can provide sustenance to the chuckwallas even in dry years.…”

Section: Common Chuckwalla Drought Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chuckwallas are common from 0 to 1370 m (Kwiatkowski et al, 2009) but can occur up to 1830 m (Stebbins, 1985), and have a diet that includes annual plants as well as a variety of perennial plants (Johnson, 1965;Nagy, 1973;Berry, 1974;Kwiatkowski and Sullivan, 2002). Their overall similarities (ectothermia, large size, long lifespan, vegetarian diet) along with differences (elevation tolerances, specific diet composition) create a comparison that can provide insights into causal explanations for differences between these two species' modeled sensitivity to climate change.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sensitivity to climate change for two reptiles at the Mojave–Sonoran Desert interface

Barrows

2011

Journal of Arid Environments

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Section: Common Chuckwalla Drought Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sensitivity to climate change for two reptiles at the Mojave–Sonoran Desert interface

Barrows

2011

Journal of Arid Environments

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“…There are numerous examples of this in nature, as illustrated by a meta-analytical study which predicts a positive relationship between resource holding potential, resource value and reproductive success of territorial males (Kelly 2008). Specific examples include the scorpionfly, in which most mating systems are characterised by resource defence polygyny (Missoweit and Sauer 2007) and, amongst vertebrates, the lizard Sauro malus, in which the number of females within male territories is correlated with food resources (Kwiatkowski and Sullivan 2002). More indirect examples are found in groupliving species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The function of aggression in the swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri: resource defence

Magellan

Kaiser

2009

J Ethol

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Competition for mating opportunities may involve exclusion of intrasexual competitors (direct) or defending resources necessary to attract mates (indirect). Male swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) engage in direct competition. Moreover in natural populations they defend a home range. This study aimed to test whether this home range defence is a form of food resource defence, which may therefore have a female attraction function. Male swordtails did defend a food resource and showed increased aggression in the presence of both food and females. However, food resource defence decreased when females were present, suggesting that both food and females are treated as defendable resources.

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“…Not only did we find a low male-female home range ratio but the absolute size of animal home ranges in this population was remarkably small compared to other iguanines [33], [37], [38], [39], and only slightly larger than iguanine leks ( Amblyrhynchus cristatus, 24). Many insectivorous lizard species exhibit resource-based polygyny, where males defend an area on the basis of the food, shelter or other resources utilized by females [3]; [33].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 53%

Spatial Ecology of the Critically Endangered Fijian Crested Iguana, Brachylophus vitiensis, in an Extremely Dense Population: Implications for Conservation

et al. 2013

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The Critically Endangered Fijian crested iguana, Brachylophus vitiensis, occurs at extreme density at only one location, with estimates of >10,000 iguanas living on the 70 hectare island of Yadua Taba in Fiji. We conducted a mark and recapture study over two wet seasons, investigating the spatial ecology and intraspecific interactions of the strictly arboreal Fijian crested iguana. This species exhibits moderate male-biased sexual size dimorphism, which has been linked in other lizard species to territoriality, aggression and larger male home ranges. We found that male Fijian crested iguanas exhibit high injury levels, indicative of frequent aggressive interactions. We did not find support for larger home range size in adult males relative to adult females, however male and female residents were larger than roaming individuals. Males with established home ranges also had larger femoral pores relative to body size than roaming males. Home range areas were small in comparison to those of other iguana species, and we speculate that the extreme population density impacts considerably on the spatial ecology of this population. There was extensive home range overlap within and between sexes. Intersexual overlap was greater than intrasexual overlap for both sexes, and continuing male-female pairings were observed among residents. Our results suggest that the extreme population density necessitates extensive home range overlap even though the underlying predictors of territoriality, such as male biased sexual size dimorphism and high aggression levels, remain. Our findings should be factored in to conservation management efforts for this species, particularly in captive breeding and translocation programs.

show abstract

Mating system structure and population density in a polygynous lizard, Sauromalus obesus (= ater)

Cited by 52 publications

References 34 publications

Sensitivity to climate change for two reptiles at the Mojave–Sonoran Desert interface

Sensitivity to climate change for two reptiles at the Mojave–Sonoran Desert interface

The function of aggression in the swordtail, Xiphophorus helleri: resource defence

Spatial Ecology of the Critically Endangered Fijian Crested Iguana, Brachylophus vitiensis, in an Extremely Dense Population: Implications for Conservation

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