Competitive Interactions of the Striped Plateau Lizard (Sceloporus Virgatus) and the Tree Lizard (Urosaurus Ornatus)

Ecology ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 679-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
David C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Interactions ◽  
Urosaurus Ornatus ◽  
Sceloporus Virgatus ◽  
Tree Lizard

Intraspecific variation in tree lizard escape behaviour in relation to habitat and temperature

Behaviour ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 157 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia L. Morris ◽  
Matthew S. Lattanzio
Keyword(s):  
Antipredator Behaviour ◽  
Similar Response ◽  
Response Patterns ◽  
Escape Behaviour ◽  
Urosaurus Ornatus ◽  
Escape Theory ◽  
Habitat Gradients ◽  
Disturbance Gradient ◽  
Tree Lizards ◽  
Tree Lizard

Abstract Optimal escape theory has proven useful for understanding the dynamics of antipredator behaviour in animals; however, approaches are often limited to single-population studies. We studied how the escape behaviour of tree lizards (Urosaurus ornatus) varied across a disturbance gradient. We also considered how sex, body temperature, and perch temperature affected their escape decisions. Both sexes exhibited similar response patterns; however, lizards in the most-disturbed habitat, as well as cooler (body or perch temperature) lizards, initiated escape earlier (but did not flee further) than other animals. Increased wariness as indicated by earlier escape suggests that frequently-disturbed, more-open localities may be stressful habitats for species like U. ornatus. In addition, because cooler temperatures limit locomotor performance capacity, escape decisions should also depend on a species’ thermal ecology. Overall, we stress the importance of multi-population approaches for capturing the variety of ways species adaptively respond to the threat of predation across habitat gradients.

Tree Lizard (Urosaurus Ornatus) Territories: Experimental Perturbation of the Sex Ratio

Ecology ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 68 (6) ◽  
pp. 2059-2062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert T. M'Closkey ◽  
Keith A. Baia ◽  
Ronald W. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Sex Ratio ◽  
Urosaurus Ornatus ◽  
Tree Lizard

Demography of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus, in Central Arizona

Copeia ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 1983 (3) ◽  
pp. 585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald W. Tinkle ◽  
Arthur E. Dunham
Keyword(s):  
Urosaurus Ornatus ◽  
Tree Lizard ◽  
Central Arizona

scholarly journals Preference for Male Traits Differ in Two Female Morphs of the Tree Lizard, Urosaurus ornatus

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e101515 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S. Lattanzio ◽  
Kevin J. Metro ◽  
Donald B. Miles
Keyword(s):  
Urosaurus Ornatus ◽  
Tree Lizard

Experimental removal reveals only weak interspecific competition between two coexisting lizards

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (8) ◽  
pp. 888-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
James E. Paterson ◽  
Stacey L. Weiss ◽  
Gabriel Blouin-Demers
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Interspecific Competition ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Microhabitat Use ◽  
Ecological Communities ◽  
Urosaurus Ornatus ◽  
Tree Lizards ◽  
Coexisting Species ◽  
Resource Levels ◽  
Sceloporus Virgatus

Competition for resources is an important mechanism that shapes ecological communities. Interspecific competition can affect habitat selection, fitness, and abundance in animals. We used a removal experiment and mark–recapture to test the hypothesis that competition with the larger and more abundant Striped Plateau Lizard (Sceloporus virgatus H.M. Smith, 1938) limits habitat selection, fitness, and abundance in Ornate Tree Lizards (Urosaurus ornatus (Baird in Baird and Girard, 1852)). Ornate Tree Lizards in the plots where Striped Plateau Lizards were removed switched between habitat types more frequently and moved farther than Ornate Tree Lizards in control plots. However, there were no significant changes in the relative densities of Ornate Tree Lizards in each habitat type or in microhabitat use. We also found no changes in growth rates, survival, or abundance of Ornate Tree Lizards in response to the removal of Striped Plateau Lizards. Our results suggest that interspecific competition was not strong enough to limit habitat use or abundance of Ornate Tree Lizards. Perhaps interspecific competition is weak between coexisting species when resource levels are not severely depleted. Therefore, it is important to consider environmental conditions when assessing the importance of interspecific competition.

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