Rabbit burrows or artificial refuges are a critical habitat component for the threatened lizard, Timon lepidus (Sauria, Lacertidae)

Grillet, Pierre Antoine; Cheylan, Marc; Thirion, Jean‐Marc; Doré, Florian; Bonnet, Xavier; Dauge, Claude; Chollet, Sophie; Marchand, Marc A.

doi:10.1007/s10531-010-9824-y

Cited by 45 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(40 reference statements)

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“…In most animals, individuals spend a considerable amount of time in refuges, and shelter availability is often essential for the persistence of populations (Wright and Shapiro, 1990;Griffiths, 2001, Souter et al, 2004;Bonnet et al, 2009;Grillet et al, 2010;Lagarde et al, 2012). Shelters provide protection against predators and buffer environmental conditions (Anderson, 1986;Schwarzkopf and Alford, 1996;Sih, 1997;Roper et al, 2001;Berryman and Hawkins, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shelter availability, stress level, and digestive performances in the aspic viper

Bonnet

Fizesan

Michel

2012

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYThe lack of shelter can perturb behaviors, increase stress level and thus alter physiological performance (e.g. digestive, immune or reproductive functions). Although intuitive, such potential impacts of lack of shelter remain poorly documented. We manipulated shelter availability and environmental and physiological variables (i.e. access to a heat source, predator attack, feeding status) in a viviparous snake, and assessed sun-basking behavior, digestive performance (i.e. digestive transit time, crude estimate of assimilation, regurgitation rate) and plasma corticosterone levels (a proxy of stress level). Shelter deprivation provoked a strong increase in sun-basking behavior and thus elevated body temperature, even in unfed individuals for which energy savings would have been otherwise beneficial. The lack of heat was detrimental to digestive performance; simulated predator attacks worsened the situation and entailed a further deterioration of digestion. The combination of the lack of shelter with cool ambient temperatures markedly elevated basal corticosterone level and was associated with low digestive performance. This hormonal effect was absent when only one negative factor was involved, suggesting a threshold response. Overall, our results revealed important non-linear cascading impacts of shelter availability on stress-hormone levels, behaviors and physiological performance. These results infer that shelter availability is important for laboratory studies, captive husbandry and possibly conservation plans. Supplementary material available online at

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shelter availability, stress level, and digestive performances in the aspic viper

Bonnet

Fizesan

Michel

2012

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…The number of tortoises detected also correlated positively with the mean height of the bushes. The importance of shelters, notably provided by plants and burrows, as a means to control for temperature fluctuations experienced in an extreme environment has been documented in desert tortoises (Bulova 2002;McMaster & Downs 2006) and in other reptiles (Beck & Jennings 2003;Bonnet et al 2009;Grillet et al 2010;Lelièvre et al 2010), however our study is the first to report information demonstrating the vital importance of precise characteristics of the microhabitat.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…Bushes also offer crucial shelters for many other animal species (such as insects, arachnids and rodents); they reduce soil temperature beneath them during hot periods, but also retain higher soil temperatures during cooler periods (for example at night), preserve soil moisture and enrich soil fertility (Castro et al 2004). As expected, mammals, birds and reptile populations decline when shelter availability is reduced (Webb & Shine 1997;Grillet et al 2010). However, jujube bushes compete with several agricultural land practices, particularly for space and nutrients, and are therefore considered to be a pest plant (Milchunas & Lauenroth 1993;Fleischner 1994;McGregor et al 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Bushes protect tortoises from lethal overheating in arid areas of Morocco

et al. 2012

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Arid Mediterranean regions that shelter unique biodiversity are threatened by increasing anthropogenic pressures, such as urbanization, overgrazing and climate change. In Morocco, one of the main bush species in arid areas, the jujube (Ziziphus lotus), suffers from officially promoted programmes of removal. The Moorish tortoise (Testudo graeca soussensis) is threatened by such habitat loss. Like most animals, the Moorish tortoise must navigate between microhabitats to find essential feeding resources and thermal refuges. This study combined radio-tracking of free-ranging individuals, microhabitat temperature monitoring and transects in a range of habitats. Tortoises were found to depend on the occurrence of large and relatively abundant bushes to escape lethal overheating. Thus, (1) current official encouragements for the destruction of the jujube bushes should be reappraised; (2) habitat restoration relying on replanting jujube bush should be encouraged; and (3) large-scale monitoring of critical bush densities should be used to better organize conservation plans (protection and/or restoration of areas) for the Moorish tortoise.

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“…Sectors with no lizard observations were in fact sectors with the least shelters available as a resource. Between 2001 and 2006, the rabbit population declined on the island, and the number of rabbit burrows decreased dramatically (by 80%) (Grillet et al, 2010). Other habitat variables of the surveyed plots (such as the plot's position on the sea-forest gradient and its vegetation cover) were also noted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementation of a long-term monitoring program of the ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) population on Oleron Island

Grillet

Cheylan

Thirion³

et al. 2011

Amphib Reptilia

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The ocellated lizard Timon lepidus (Sauria; Lacertidae) has declined throughout most of its range. Habitat fragmentation and habitat loss seem to be mainly responsible for the species' decline. The ocellated lizard population of Oleron Island, confined to a longshore dune of 140 ha, is the subject of a long-term monitoring study established in 2007. The monitoring method consists of 70 plots (50 × 50 m) randomly placed within a study area divided into six distinct zones. Three surveys were conducted in the study area over the spring season of 2007. During each survey, we counted the individuals in each plot. These counts were analyzed with the PRESENCE 2.0 and the R package Unmarked software using two different modeling approaches, the 'site-occupancy model' and the 'N-mixture model'. Estimates resulting from our analyses indicated the proportion of occupied plots to be 0.76. Our results indicated that the ocellated lizard has a highly heterogeneous distribution on Oleron Island, with parts of the dune sheltering clusters of lizards, and other areas totally unoccupied. The population size was estimated to be 516 individuals (95% CI 248-783). The relative abundance of ocellated lizards on the island can be principally explained by the presence of permanent shelters (used both during winter and the lizards' active period), including rabbit and rodent burrows and artificial shelters. This monitoring survey will be replicated every three years to enable us to calculate the species' colonization and local extinction probabilities. These results will help in evaluating and guiding management and conservation measures.

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Rabbit burrows or artificial refuges are a critical habitat component for the threatened lizard, Timon lepidus (Sauria, Lacertidae)

Cited by 45 publications

References 33 publications

Shelter availability, stress level, and digestive performances in the aspic viper

Shelter availability, stress level, and digestive performances in the aspic viper

Bushes protect tortoises from lethal overheating in arid areas of Morocco

Implementation of a long-term monitoring program of the ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus) population on Oleron Island

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