Abstract

Info

Title:: Habitat Use, Home Range, and Hibernaculum of the Mongolian Racerunner, Eremias argus (Lacertidae, Reptilia) in a Coastal Sand Dune in South Korea

Author(s):: Il-Hun KIM¹; Nam-Yong RA¹ and Daesik PARK²^*; ¹ Department of Biology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon 200-701, South Korea
² Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Kangwon 200-701, South Korea

Keywords:: coastal sand dune; spatial ecology; Eremias argus; lizard; radio-telemetry

PACS:: -

DOI:: 10.3724/SP.J.1245.2012.00133

Abstract:: Information on habitat use is critical in sizing protected areas for endangered reptile species. To investigate habitat use, home range, and hibernaculum of the endangered Mongolian Racerunner (Eremias argus), we radio-tracked 40 specimens in a coastal sand dune in South Korea. Of the 163 locations recorded during the breeding season, 150 (92.0%) were in grass sand dunes, and the rest (8.0%), all associated with the same lizard, were in shrub sand dunes. All of the 123 locations recorded during the non-breeding season were in grass sand dunes. No lizards were found in the grasslands abutting the dunes. The four lizards with identifiable hibernation sites were found under an average of 17.8 cm of sand and were all located in grass sand dunes. The lizards moved approximately 5 m daily and used 162 m2 of home range (computed by minimum convex polygon, MCP) during the breeding season, and they moved approximately 2 m and used 68 m2 of home range during the non-breeding season. However, the mean daily moved distances and MCP home ranges were not statistically significantly different between the seasons or between males and females. Our results suggest that in coastal sand dunes, E. argus uses grass sand dunes as its main habitat throughout the year. This finding could be used to determine the appropriate habitat size and to designate for the conservation of this endangered species.

References:

Armstrong D. P., Seddon P. J. 2007. Directions in reintroduction biology. Trends Ecol Evol, 23: 20–25
Avery R. A., Bedford J. D., Newcombe C. P. 1982. The role of thermoregulation in lizard biology: Predatory efficiency in a temperature diurnal basker. Behav Ecol Sociobiol, 11: 261–267
Bauwens D. 1981. Survivorship during hibernation in the European Common Lizard Lacerta vivipara. Copeia, 1981: 741–744
Cooke A. A. 1991. The Habitat of the Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis at Merseyside. Research and Survey in Nature Conservation, No. 41. Peterborough: English Nature
Diego-Rasilla F. J., Pérez-Mellado V. 2000. The effects of density on time budgets of the Iberian Wall Lizard (Podarcis hispanica). Israel J Zool, 46: 215–229
Diego-Rasilla F. J., Pérez-Mellado V. 2003. Home range and habitat selection by Podarcis hispanica (Squamata, Lacertidae) in Western Spain. Folia Zool, 52: 87–98.
Edgar P., Bird D. R. 2005. Action Plan for the Conservation of the Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis) in Northwest Europe. Dorset: The Herpetological Conservation Trust
Etheridge K., Lawrence C. W., Sellers J. C. 1983. Hibernation in the lizard Cnemidophorus sexlineatus (Lacertilia: Teiidae). Copeia, 1983: 206–214
Haenel G. J., Smith L. C., John-Alder H. B. 2003. Home-range analysis in Sceloporus undulates (Eastern Fence Lizard). I. Spacing patterns and the context of territorial behavior. Copeia, 2003: 99–112
IUCN. 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. Retrieved from http://www.iucnredlist.org
Jeong J. C., Song J. Y. 2010. Diet composition of the Korean Leopard Lizard, Eremias argus (Reptilia: Lacertidae) in Taeanhaean National Park. J Natl Park Res, 1: 9–12 (In Korean)
Kang Y. S., Yoon I. B. 1975. Illustrated Encyclopedia of Fauna and Flora of Korea, Vol. 17. Amphibia, Reptilia. Seoul: Samwha Publishing Co. (In Korean)
Kenward R. E. 2001. A Manual for Wildlife Radio Tagging. Sydney: Academic Press
Kerr G. D., Bull C. M., Mackay D. 2004. Human disturbance and stride frequency in the Sleepy Lizard (Tiliqua rugosa): Implications for behavioral studies. J Herpetol, 38: 519–526
Kim B. N., Kim I. H., Kim J. K., Park D. 2010. Characteristics of oviposition and egg hatching of the Mongolian Racerunner (Eremias argus) in the laboratory and field. Korean J Herpetol, 2: 27–34 (In Korean)
Kim J. K. 2010. Study on the Ecology and Developing Artificial Rearing Method of Eremias argus. M.S. Thesis. Kangwon National University (In Korean)
Kim J. K., Kim I. H., Kim B. N., Ra N. Y., Park D. 2011. Characteristics of Eremias argus habitat in coastal sand dunes and mountain areas. Korean J Herpetol, 3: 11–18 (In Korean)
Kim J. K., Song J. Y., Lee J. H., Park D. 2010. Physical characteristics and age structure of Mongolian Racerunner (Eremias argus; Lacertidae; Reptilia). J Ecol Field Biol, 33: 325–331
Lee J. H., Park D. 2011. Spatial ecology of translocated and resident Amur Ratsnakes (Elaphe schrenckii) in two mountain valleys of South Korea. Asian Herpetol Res, 2(4): 223–229
Lee H. J., Lee J. H., Park D. 2011. Habitat use and movement patterns of the viviparous aquatic snake, Oocatochus rufodorsatus, from Northeast Asia. Zool Sci, 28: 593–599
Moulton N., Corbett K. 1999. Sand Lizard Conservation Handbook. Peterborough: English Nature
Mullin S. J., Seigel R. A. 2009. Snakes: Ecology and Conservation. New York: Cornell University Press
Nicholson A. M., Spellerberg I. F. 1989. Activity and home range of the lizard Lacerta agilis L. Herpetol J, 1: 362–365
Pal A., Swain M. M., Rath S. 2010. Observations on microhabitat use and activity patterns in Sitana ponticeriana (Sauria: Agamidae). Russ J Herpetol, 17: 22–30
Ra N. Y., Park D., Cheong S., Kim N. S., Sung H. C. 2010. Habitat associations of the endangered Gold-spotted Pond Frog (Rana chosenica). Zool Sci, 27: 396–401
Ra N. Y., Sung H. C., Cheong S. K., Lee J. H., Eom J., Park D. 2008. Habitat use and home range of the endangered Gold-spotted Pond Frog (Rana chosenica). Zool Sci, 25: 894–903
Reading C. J., Luiselli L. M., Akani G. C., Bonnet X., Amori G., Ballouard J. M., Filippi E., Naulleau G., Pearson D., Rugiero L. 2010. Are snake populations in widespread decline? Biol Lett, 6: 777–780
Rose B. 1982. Lizard home ranges: Methodology and functions. J Herpetol, 16: 253–269
Song J. Y., Koo K. S., Chang M. H. 2010. Movement and home range of the Mongolian Racerunner, Eremias argus (Squamata: Lacertidae): A preliminary result. Korean J Herpetol, 2: 17–21 (In Korean)
Sound P., Veith M. 2000. Weather effects on intra-habitat movements of the Western Green Lizard, Lacerta bilineata (Daudin, 1802), at its northern distribution range border: A radio-tracking study. Can J Zool, 78: 1831–1839
Todd B. D., Willson J. D., Gibbons J. W. 2010. The global status of reptiles and causes of their decline. In Sparling D. W., Linder G., Bishop C. A., Krest S. (Eds.), Ecotoxicology of Amphibians and Reptiles, 2nd Ed. Pensacola: CRC Press, 47–67
Turner R. B., Jennrich R. I., Weintraub J. D. 1969. Home ranges and the body size of lizards. Ecology, 50: 1076–1081
Warner D. A., Tomas J., Shine R. 2006. A simple and reliable method for attaching radio-transmitters to lizards. Herpetol Conserv Biol, 1: 129–131
Wasiolka B., Jeltsch F., Henschel J., Blaum N. 2009. Space use of the Spotted Sand Lizard (Pedioplanis l. lineoocellata) under different degradation states. Afr J Ecol, 48: 96–104
Weintraub J. D. 1968. Winter behavior of the Granite Spiny Lizard Sceloporus orcutti. Copeia, 1968: 708–712
Wone B., Beauchamp G. 2003. Movement, home range, and activity patterns of the Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma mcallii. J Herpetol, 37: 679–686
Worton B. J. 1989. Kernel methods for estimating the utilization distribution in home-range studies. Ecology, 70: 164–168
Zhao E. M., Zhao K. T., Zhou K. Y. 1999. Fauna Sinica, Reptilia, Vol. 2. Squamata: Lacertilia. Beijing: Science Press (In Chinese)

Asian Herpetological Research[ISSN:2095-0357/CN:51-1735/Q]

Info

References:

Memo

Common functions

Navigate

Tools

Statistics