Microhabitat selection of the Western green lizard Lacerta bilineata

Abstract

We examined the characteristics of microhabitats selected by Western green lizards, Lacerta bilineata. Model selection was carried out with the Information-theoretic approach that focuses on the estimation of effect size and measures of its precision. Our results show that the Western green lizard selects positively sites with good shrub cover, necessary as shelter, while it avoids areas with bare soil where there are no refuges. Additionally, lizards showed a positive selection of rocks (located exclusively in artificial riverbanks) that represent a suitable habitat for thermoregulation and sheltering. The results of our work, and particularly the negative effects of bare soil and the positive effects of shrub cover, confirm the need to restore the network of hedgerows and other linear elements in cultivated landscapes in order to create suitable areas for L. bilineata.