Age-related habitat selection by brown forest skinks(Sphenomorphus indicus)

作     者：Qi-Ping ZHU Meng-Yao ZHU Ying-Chao HU Xue-Ya ZHANG Guo-Hua DING Zhi-Hua LIN 

作者机构：College of EcologyLishui University 

出 版 物：《Zoological Research》 (动物学研究（英文）)

年 卷 期：2015年第36卷第1期

页      面：29-33页

核心收录：

学科分类：07[理学] 0713[理学-生态学] 

基　　金：supported by the Open Research Fund program of Laboratory of Lishui University(2014-26-10) the Scientific Research Foundation of Ph.D.in Lishui University(QD1301) the Science and Technology Planning Project of Lishui(20110426) the Project of Summer Work for Undergraduates in Lishui University(2014-245-23) 

主　　题：habitat illumination brown physiological behavioral juvenile surveyed predator occasionally pairwise 

摘      要：In reptiles, habitat selection is the process whereby suitable habitat is selected that optimizes physiological functions and behavioral performance. Here, we used the brown forest skink（Sphenomorphus indicus） as a model animal and examined whether the frequency of active individuals, environmental temperature, illumination of activity area, and habitat type vary with different age classes. We surveyed the number of active individuals and measured environmental variables at Baiyunshan Mountain in Lishui, Zhejiang, China. We found no difference in the activity frequency of adult and juvenile S. indicus; the activity pattern of active individuals was bimodal. The mean environmental temperature selected by adults was higher than that selected by juveniles. The environmental temperature of active areas measured at 0900-1000 h and 1100-1200 h was higher than at 1400-1500h; illumination of the active area at 1000-1200 h was also higher than at 1400h-1600 h. The number of active individuals, the environmental temperature and illumination of activity areas showed pairwise positive correlation. There was a difference in habitat type between juveniles and adults whereby juveniles prefer rock habitats. We predict that active S. indicus select optimal habitats with different environmental temperatures and types to reach the physiological needs particular to their age classes.