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Predation release of Texas horned lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) living in small towns
Mirkin, Stephen Benjamin,author.
Mirkin, Stephen Benjamin,author.
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2019
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Texas horned lizards are a threatened species in Texas due to population declines. These lizards are still found in some south Texas towns and reach densities that are higher (~50 lizards/ha) than in natural areas (~4-10 lizards/ha). We used model Texas horned lizards to test whether predation levels were lower in two south Texas towns than on a nearby ranch. We constructed models from urethane foam, a material that is ideal for preserving marks left behind by predators. Models (n = 126) were left in the field for 9 days in each location and predation marks were categorized accordingly. We observed significantly fewer predation events in town (n = 1) compared to the ranch (n = 60). Our results suggest that Texas horned lizards are under heavy predation pressure in natural environments, whereas lizards living in town are escaping some of this pressure leading to higher population densities.
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1 online resource (vi, 32 pages) :
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Biology