Journal
ECOLOGY
Volume 90, Issue 10, Pages 2933-2939Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1890/08-2224.1
Keywords
artificial neural network; eastern fence lizard; microhabitat; nesting; reptiles; Sceloporus undulatus; temperature; thermoregulation
Categories
Funding
- University Research Committee of Indiana State University
- the Indiana Academy of Sciences, and the National Science Foundation (DBI) [0204484]
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Div Of Biological Infrastructure [0204484] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Because temperature affects the growth, development, and survival of embryos, oviparous mothers should discriminate carefully among available nesting sites. We combined a radiotelemetric study of animal movements with a spatial mapping of environmental temperatures to test predictions about the nesting behavior of the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). Females made large excursions from their typical home ranges to construct nests in exposed substrates. These excursions appeared to be related solely to nesting because all females returned to forested habitat immediately afterward. On average, <1% (range = 0-8%, n = 19) of the area used by a female during nesting was contained within the area used before and after nesting. The selection of nesting sites matched predictions based on laboratory studies of embryonic performance; specifically, females nested in extremely open habitat at a mean of 6 cm depth. Spatial mapping of soil temperatures revealed that temperatures of nesting areas exceeded those of areas typically used by females, indicating that females preferred to construct warm nests that speed embryonic growth and development. However, this behavior could reduce the survivorship of females because of the need to rapidly navigate unfamiliar and exposed terrain.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available