Phenotypic plasticity of life history traits in relation to reproductive strategies in Boa constrictor occidentalis

Cardozo, Gabriela; Chiaraviglio, Margarita

doi:10.1007/s10682-011-9465-y

Cited by 9 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…3). Distribution of Squamata fauna in South America is generally closely related to vegetation features (Nogueira et al, 2009) because vegetation might regulate ecological processes (Cardozo et al, 2007;Cardozo and Chiaraviglio, 2011). For instance, Cardozo et al (2007) demonstrated that dispersal of ectotherms is influenced hy vegetation loss, and showed phenotypic plasticity in lifehistory traits in relation to landscape vegetation changes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, environmental temperature might influence diverse behavioural responses (Gifford et al, 2008;Cury de Barros et al, 2010) and trigger reproductive activity in teiid lizards from temperate zones (Cruz et al, 1999). In addition, the spatial pattern of vegetation cover affects thermoregulatory processes in ectotherms (Chiaraviglio, 2006;Cardozo and Chiaraviglio, 2011). Accordingly, Chiarello et al (2010) hypothesized that vegetation pattern might influence basking of active heliothermic lizards like Tupinambis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding the ecological niche to elucidate spatial strategies of the southernmost Tupinambis lizards

et al. 2013

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Understanding factors that shape ranges of species is central in evolutionary biology. Species distribution models have become important tools to test biogeographical, ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. Moreover, from an ecological and evolutionary perspective, these models help to elucidate the spatial strategies of species at a regional scale. We modelled species distributions of two phylogenetically, geographically and ecologically close Tupinambis species (Teiidae) that occupy the southernmost area of the genus distribution in South America. We hypothesized that similarities between these species might have induced spatial strategies at the species level, such as niche differentiation and divergence of distribution patterns at a regional scale. Using logistic regression and MaxEnt we obtained species distribution models that revealed interspecific differences in habitat requirements, such as environmental temperature, precipitation and altitude. Moreover, the models obtained suggest that although the ecological niches of Tupinambis merianae and T. rufescens are different, these species might co-occur in a large contact zone. We propose that niche plasticity could be the mechanism enabling their co-occurrence. Therefore, the approach used here allowed us to understand the spatial strategies of two Tupinambis lizards at a regional scale.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the ecological niche to elucidate spatial strategies of the southernmost Tupinambis lizards

et al. 2013

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“…Their occurrence in still remote areas (Beni river valley in Bolivia and Marajó region in northern Brazil, respectively; 48, 49) certainly accounts for the lack of videos depicting these two species. Since the largest animals are more likely to be killed – which in large constrictors are the females with highest reproductive output [38,39,60,61] – this could generate a conservation problem for these two smaller-ranged anaconda species.…”

Section: Implications For Conservationmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Ecology of Human-Anaconda Conflict: A Study Using Internet Videos

Miranda

Ribeiro²,

Strüssmann

2016

Tropical Conservation Science

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Human-wildlife conflict is a widespread problem that threatens both animals and local livelihoods. When this conflict involves predators, the additional risks to human life worsen the problem. The perceptions of human-predator conflict have been investigated multiple times, usually to generate data for conflict resolution. However, such efforts have largely involved mammals from the order Carnivora. In this work, we tested hypotheses about the feeding habits of two species of constricting anacondas from the genus Eunectes and human perception of risks and attitudes associated with such habits. In particular, we investigated the consequences for the snake after predation on domestic or wild animals. We also tested the relationship between human killing of anacondas and local development indicators -a proxy for general education level. Data were obtained from internet videos using a standardized method for information retrieval. A total of 330 videos of human-anaconda encounters were recovered from ten different South American countries. We found that visual evidence of a recent meal (distended abdomen) and predation on domestic animals did not affect the probability of the anaconda being killed, but this probability increased as the Human Development Index (HDI) diminished and as anaconda size increased. Although retaliatory killing is described as one of main causes of animal mortality following human-wildlife conflicts, our results suggest that killing of anacondas are not retaliatory or related to economic losses, but preventive, because these snakes are seen as life-threatening animals. Adding social context information on human-predator conflicts, together with taxon-free research on this subject can improve our knowledge about human-wildlife conflict. Further research could focus on the actual impacts (direct or indirect) of anacondas on stakeholders, and on the role of other nonmammalian predators in human-wildlife conflicts (whether actual or perceived).Key words: Boidae, livestock predation, Eunectes murinus, Eunectes notaeus, human-wildlife conflict. ResumenEl conflicto entre humanos y animales silvestres es un problema de alcance global que amenaza a los animales y a los estilos de vida locales. Cuando este conflicto incluye predadores, el riesgo adicional impuesto para las vidas humanas agrava el problema. Las percepciones sobre el conflicto predadores-humanos han sido investigadas múltiples veces, con objetivos generalmente relacionados a la obtención de datos para la resolución del conflicto. Pero estos esfuerzos han sido dedicados casi exclusivamente a mamíferos del orden Carnivora. En este trabajo nosotros testeamos hipótesis relacionadas con los hábitos alimentarios de dos especies de anacondas constrictoras del género Eunectes, así como la percepción humana de riesgo y actitudes de estos hábitos. Nosotros también testeamos las relaciones entre mortalidad inducida por humanos y el nivel de desarrollo local -como una aproximación del nivel general de educación. Nosotros obtuvimos los datos...

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“…Among the environmental factors that might influence behaviors in Squamata, vegetation structure would be of great importance (Blouin-Demers & Weatherhead, 2001;Chiaraviglio & Bertona, 2007;Row & Blouin-Demers, 2006) because it provides alternative thermal environments for thermoregulation (Chiaraviglio, 2006) and might affect reproductive processes and life history traits (Cardozo & Chiaraviglio, 2008;Cardozo & Chiaraviglio, 2011). Therefore, according to the complexity of the vertical structure of the land covers, we determined three major vegetation classes: forest, shrublands and low vertical structures (LVS).…”

Section: Landscape Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%