Naslov
Thermoregulation in syntopy ; fine – scale differences in island Podarcis populations

Autori
Grbac, Irena ; Mihoci, Iva ; Hellemans, Katelijne ; Van Damme, Raoul

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
6th Symposium on the Lacertids of the Mediterranean Basin / Pafilis P., Kotsakiozi P. and E.D. Valakos - Mithymna : Societas Hellenica Herpetologica, Department of Environment (University of Aegean), 2008, 27-27

Skup
6th Symposium on the Lacertids of the Mediterranean Basin

Mjesto i datum
Lezbos, Grčka, 23.06.2008. - 27.06.2008

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
thermoregulation; syntopy; island; Podarcis

Sažetak
We studied the thermoregulatory behaviour and microhabitat use of the lacertid lizards Podarcis sicula and Podarcis melisellensis on the island Vrgada (East Adriatic, Croatia) during early spring. The sympatry of the two Podarcis species on Vrgada is exceptional in that most other small islands in the Adriatic harbour only one of the two species, likely as the result of competitive exclusion. It is thought that the dominant robust colonizing P. sicula replaces the more slender native P. melisellensis on those islands were it gets a foothold. We here test the hypothesis that on Vrgada, despite apparent syntopy on a macrohabitat scale, P. sicula occupies the better microhabitats and forces P. melisellensis into (thermally) less favourable ones. We measured field body temperatures of active lizards of both species, and compared them to operative temperatures and temperatures selected in laboratory conditions, to compare the accuracy and effectiveness of thermoregulation between the two species. We also estimated the thermal quality of the microhabitats occupied by the two species. In addition, we checked for possible differences in activity cycles and (thermoregulatory) behaviour.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija

POVEZANOST RADA