Basic characteristics of microhabitats of snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) in Western Hungary

Authors

  • Zoltán Kenyeres Acrida Conservational Research L.P., Deák F. street 7, H-8300, Tapolca, Hungary
  • Norbert Bauer Department of Botany, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Könyves K. krt. 40, H-1087, Budapest, Hungary
  • Judit Cservenka Balaton Uplands National Park Directorate, Kossuth street 16, H-8229, Csopak, Hungary
  • Szilárd Szabó Department of Physical Geography and Geoinformatics, University of Debrecen, Egyetem square 1, H-4032, Debrecen, Hungary
  • Sándor Tóth Széchenyi street 2, H-8420, Zirc, Hungary

Keywords:

reptile, ecotone, edge habitat, microclimate, soil, climate change, dolomite, vegetation

Abstract

Following the rediscovery after 200 years of A. k. fitzingeri in 2017, we carried out data collection its habitats regarding vegetation, microclimate, and soil on two prominent dolomite hills of the Eastern Bakony. Data collections were carried out in habitat mosaics (xerothermic forest edges on the plateaus, karst shrub forests in south-facing exposure, dry grasslands among forest patches on the plateaus, rocky grasslands in south-facing exposure) of three sampling blocks. Vegetation was examined by phytosociological relevés, microclimate from April to November continuously by TMS-2 dataloggers, and soil by laboratory analyses focused mainly on percentage of different fractions. According to our results a) shrub forests with a south-facing exposure provide a cooler microclimate in the spring–early summer and late summer–early autumn periods; b) plateau grasslands and shrubs are characterised by looser soil structure. Based on our results, heterogeneous habitat character of forest–grassland mosaics of the Pannonicum can mitigate the expected negative effects of climate change on reptiles.

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Published

2020-04-06

How to Cite

Kenyeres, Z., Bauer, N., Cservenka, J., Szabó, S., & Tóth, S. (2020). Basic characteristics of microhabitats of snake-eyed skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii) in Western Hungary. Hacquetia, 20(1), 189–196. Retrieved from https://ojs.zrc-sazu.si/hacquetia/article/view/8574

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Vol. 20 No. 1 (2021): Hacquetia

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Articles

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