Abstract
In this work, we surveyed data on richness and composition of squamatan reptiles and habitat structural effect in nine areas of restinga ecosystem in the State of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. The "restinga" ecosystems are coastal sand dune habitats on the coast of Brazil. Our main hypothesis is that the Squamata fauna composition along these restinga areas would be modulated by habitat structural. After 90 days of field sampling we recorded approximately 5% of reptile species known in Brazil. The composition of Squamata assemblages varied mainly based on the presence or absence of lizards of the genera Ameivula and Tropidurus. Our data showed that habitat structure consistently affected the composition of local Squamata fauna, especially lizards.
Highlights
The organization of assemblages in terms of species diversity, their abundances and niche relationships among component species is an interesting issue of ecology
The restinga areas located in the north and south of the State of Bahia were comparatively different in terms of lizards species, and habitat structure may have been the main cause of this difference
The genera Ameivula and Tropidurus were responsible for major differences in species composition of the Squamata assemblages
Summary
The organization of assemblages in terms of species diversity, their abundances and niche relationships among component species is an interesting issue of ecology. Different trends are related with the maintenance of the interactions among sympatric species in the assemblages (Schoener 1968, Pianka 1973, Vitt 1995, Vitt and Carvalho 1995). The nature of these ecological trends varies taxonomically and. Haffer 1969, Vanzolini 1988, Losos 1994) In this context of evolution, phylogeny and biogeography, knowing why some assemblages tend to harbors more species than others is one of the interesting questions in community ecology. ROCHA determined areas as a result of environmental differences between regions (Losos 1994)
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