Comparison of reptile communities in three types of thermophilous Mediterranean forest in southern Greece

Abstract

Reptile communities are compared in deciduous Valonia oak forests (Quercus aegilops L., 1753) and two types of pine forests (Pinus pinea L., 1753 and Pinus halepensis Mill., 1768) located at sea level in the northwestern Peloponnisos. In areas covered by homogenous forests, both species richness and diversity were higher in the oak forest stands. There is no significant difference in the diversity index between the two types of pine forest although P. pinea stands had higher species richness. The diversity index takes the higher values in the transition zones of all types of forests, mainly due to the heterogeneity of those habitats. The oak forest and its respective transition zone had the most distinctive species composition in comparison to all other habitats, characterised by high densities of diurnal heliothermic lizards. The results reveal that even small‐sized broadleaved stands in conifer forests can significantly contribute to conserve reptile diversity. From a conservation point of view, the expansion of P. halepensis during the last decades decreases the heterogeneity of space leading to a decline in diversity.