Lizard project reloaded: an addition to LTER lizard distribution data at Sevilleta National WildlifeRefuge
N’Diaye, Leila
Department of Biology
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania USA
Hamilton, Gregor
The Nature Conservancy,
Silver City, New Mexico USA
Hallmark, Alesia
Department of Biology
The University of New Mexico,
Albuquerque, New Mexico USA
Reptile communities of the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge have been historically understudied in comparison to regular surveys of other organisms as part of the LTER program. These communities are a vital tool for land monitoring and management, because changes in movement of ectotherm communities reflect broader changes in the environment; such as temperature, vegetation, and prey migration. Previous survey data about the distribution of lizard communities across the refuge supports the idea that different habitats, characterized by dominant species of vegetation, host different lizard communities. This project addresses the composition of lizard communities across several years, with additional sites surveyed in 2023, including the University of New Mexico Field Station, to determine how communities may shift with increased human disturbance. Data from visual encounter surveys, stable isotope analysis, and raster analysis in ArcGIS is used to map lizard communities in relation to environmental factors including land cover, temperature, and elevation. Data analysis reveals that generalist species, namely in the genus Aspidoscelis are the most abundant on the NWR, covering a broad isotopic niche, while other lizard species occupy distinct isotopic niches. Stable isotope data revealed a positive relationship between abundance and c4 plant consumption. This study affirms the importance of long term monitoring of reptiles for use as a proxy for global warming, as well as for generating predictions about the structure of communities in an increasingly disturbed environment.