Picking a tree: habitat use by the tree agama, <i>Acanthocercus atricollis atricollis</i>, in South Africa

Reaney, Leeann T.; Whiting, Martin J.

doi:10.1080/15627020.2003.11407281

Cited by 25 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This suggests no specific preference for camel thorn trees in particular, as was the case in southern African tree agamas (Acanthocercus atricollis atricollis, Reaney & Whiting 2003). However, tree height played an important role in skink anti-predator behaviour, as skinks on taller trees allowed the 'predator' to approach more closely (i.e.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…For example, in North American flatland deserts, lizard species diversity is correlated with vegetation incorporating both horizontal (plant volume diversity) and vertical (percentage cover and standing crop) components (Pianka 1966). In the case of arboreal lizards, particular physical characteristics, such as tree circumference and canopy cover (Cooper & Whiting 2000a;Reaney & Whiting 2003), may also influence habitat selection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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At home with the birds:Kalahari tree skinks associate with sociable weaver nests despiteAfrican pygmy falcon presence

2014

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The way in which animals use habitat can affect their access to key resources or how they are buffered from environmental variables such as the extreme temperatures of deserts. One strategy of animals is to modify the environment or to take advantage of structures constructed by other 2 species. The sociable weaver bird (Philetairus socius) constructs enormous colonial nests in trees. These nests are frequented by Kalahari tree skinks (Trachylepis spilogaster) and the two species coexist over a large portion of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. We tested whether lizards were more abundant in trees containing sociable weaver nests and asked whether the physical features of trees were important predictors of skink abundance. We then focused on potential costs of this association by examining the relationship between skink abundance and the presence of a potential predator, the pygmy falcon (Polihierax semitorquatus), which exclusively uses weaver nest colonies for roosting and nesting. Finally, we simulated a predatory threat to determine if skinks assess risk differently if a weaver nest is present. We found a significant positive association between the presence of weaver nests and skink abundance. In the absence of nests, the type of tree did not influence skink abundance. Skinks used weaver nests and were more likely to perch on the nest than the tree. When threatened with predation, skinks preferred to take refuge in nests. Surprisingly, the presence of nesting pygmy falcons in nests did not influence skink abundance, perhaps because of the abundance of nearby refuges within nests, tree crevices, or in debris at the tree base. We suggest that sociable weaver nests provide multiple benefits to skinks including lowered predation risk, thermal refuges and greater prey availability, although this requires experimental testing. In the current era of global climate change, sociable weaver nests may become a crucial resource for lizards seeking refuge as the Kalahari climate warms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

At home with the birds:Kalahari tree skinks associate with sociable weaver nests despiteAfrican pygmy falcon presence

2014

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“…Dentro de esta heterogeneidad, los Anolis presentaron mayor frecuencia de ocurrencia en los estratos medios de las coberturas vegetales, sin importar el tipo de ambientes, concordando con Páez et al (2002) en el sentido de que los Anolis son un grupo que se puede adaptar a una gran diversidad de biotopos y con Duellman (1979), quien sostiene que los reptiles en las selvas tropicales exploran los hábitats arbóreo, terrestre, acuático o semiacuático, utilizando todos los recursos en términos de vegetación. El proceso de selección de hábitat por parte de los individuos de Anolis, está regido por elegir determinados recursos espaciales disponibles en el ambiente (Partridge 1978;Garshelis 2000), y depende de la estructura física del ambiente, la fisiología del animal, la disponibilidad de alimento y la protección contra depredadores (Reaney & Whiting 2003).…”

Section: íNdice De Valor De Importancia (Ivi)unclassified

Uso de hábitat y relaciones ecomorfológicas de un ensamble de Anolis (Lacertilia: Dactyloidae) en la región natural Chocoana, Colombia

Castro-Herrera

Iraizos

2015

AZM

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Se evaluó el hábitat usado por un ensamble de Anolis enbosque pluvial tropical del Chocó-Colombia, usando el método de Encuentros Visuales (Visual Encounter Survey, VES) en tres coberturas vegetales. Se encontró una diferencia estadística en la posición vertical (X2= 58.7, gl = 3, P < 0.0001), sustratos (X2= 272.1, gl = 4,P < 0.0001) y en el diámetro de percha (X2 = 147.5, gl = 6, P < 0.0001) además, se encontró que A. maculiventris y A. anchicayae son las especies de mayor IVI con 0.69 y 0.51 (33 y 25%), respectivamente. Se midió el valor de importancia de las especies en las diferentes coberturas vegetales. En este estudio sobresalieron las especies de ecomorfo tronco-rama (A. malkini, A. chloris, A. latifrons, A. lyra y A. notopholis); todas las especies ocurren en los troncos de los árboles y arbustos, y especies como A. maculiventris y A. granuliceps se pueden encontrar ocupando microhábitat en el suelo generalmente en los troncos caídos y la hojarasca; las variables climáticas medidas no mostraron una correlación fuerte con las abundancias registradas.

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“…Previous investigations of microhabitat/substrate use in lizards has focused on two substrate characteristics related to predator avoidance: availability of refugia (Cooper, 1993;Reaney & Whiting, 2003;Taylor, Daniels & Johnston, 2016), and the potential for camouflage/color-matching (Lillywhite & North, 1974;Lillywhite, Friedman & Ford, 1977;Gibbons & Lillywhite, 1981). In addition, substrate type may influence detectability through effects on the noise levels generated by lizard movement (Goerlitz, Greif & Siemers, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree selection is linked to locomotor performance and associated noise production in a lizard

et al. 2018

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Microhabitat preference can be an important determinant of individual fitness. Differential use of microhabitats (such as substrate type) can confer or facilitate increased ability to evade or escape predators, and catch prey, for example by influencing sprint speed and noise produced by movement. However, there have been few studies that demarcate whether substrate use influences traits like these. Additionally, the importance of auditory crypsis and locomotor performance for microhabitat selection has been historically under‐studied, especially when compared to the importance of facilitating visual crypsis. We investigate substrate (tree) type use, and the influence of substrate types on both sprint performance and level of noise produced by movement, in fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus). In our study sites, fence lizards inhabit mixed woodland where deciduous and coniferous trees exist at approximately equal frequency. We show a strong bias in tree use, with lizards being found more frequently on deciduous trees. Using acoustic and video recordings of lizards moving on trees of both types, we demonstrate that lizards sprint faster and their movement appears to generate less noise on deciduous trees, providing a possible basis for their increased use of this tree type. These data suggest that lizards use substrates on which they are more likely to evade auditory detection and can sprint quickly to refuge or capture prey. We conclude that factors other than visual camouflage may be important in determining substrate use and should also be considered in studies of microhabitat selection.

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Picking a tree: habitat use by the tree agama, Acanthocercus atricollis atricollis, in South Africa

Cited by 25 publications

References 23 publications

At home with the birds:Kalahari tree skinks associate with sociable weaver nests despiteAfrican pygmy falcon presence

At home with the birds:Kalahari tree skinks associate with sociable weaver nests despiteAfrican pygmy falcon presence

Uso de hábitat y relaciones ecomorfológicas de un ensamble de Anolis (Lacertilia: Dactyloidae) en la región natural Chocoana, Colombia

Tree selection is linked to locomotor performance and associated noise production in a lizard

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