Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, 62209, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
J Therm Biol. 2023 Feb;112:103462. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103462. Epub 2023 Jan 10.
In seasonally dry ecosystems, loss of vegetation cover leads to warmer microclimates that can increase lizards' body temperatures to the point of threatening their performance. Preserving vegetation by establishing protected areas may mitigate these effects. We used remote sensing to test these ideas in the Sierra de Huautla Biosphere Reserve (REBIOSH) and surrounding areas. First, we determined whether vegetation cover was higher in the REBIOSH compared to adjacent unprotected areas to the north (NAA) and south (SAA). Then, we used a mechanistic niche model to test whether simulated Sceloporus horridus lizards in the REBIOSH experienced a cooler microclimate, higher thermal safety margin, longer foraging duration, and lower basal metabolic rate compared to adjacent unprotected areas. We compared these variables between 1999, when the reserve was declared, and 2020. We found that vegetation cover increased from 1999 to 2020 in all three areas; it was higher in the REBIOSH than in the more anthropized NAA, and was intermediate in the less anthropized SAA in both years. The microclimate temperature decreased from 1999 to 2020 and was lower in the REBIOSH and SAA than in the NAA. Thermal safety margin increased from 1999 to 2020; it was higher in the REBIOSH than in the NAA and intermediate in the SAA. Foraging duration increased from 1999 to 2020 and was similar among the three polygons. Basal metabolic rate decreased from 1999 to 2020 and was higher in the NAA than in the REBIOSH and SAA. Our results suggest that the REBIOSH provides cooler microclimates that increase the thermal safety margin and lower the metabolic rate of this generalist lizard compared to the NAA, and that the REBIOSH could contribute to increased vegetation cover in its surroundings. Besides, protecting original vegetation cover is an important part of climate change mitigation strategies more generally.
在季节性干旱生态系统中，植被覆盖的丧失会导致微气候变暖，从而使蜥蜴的体温升高到威胁其表现的程度。通过建立保护区来保护植被可能会减轻这些影响。我们使用遥感技术在 Huautla 生物保护区（REBIOSH）及其周边地区测试了这些想法。首先，我们确定与北部（NAA）和南部（SAA）未受保护的相邻地区相比，REBIOSH 的植被覆盖是否更高。然后，我们使用一个机制生态位模型来测试模拟的 Sceloporus horridus 蜥蜴在 REBIOSH 中是否经历了更凉爽的微气候、更高的热安全裕度、更长的觅食时间和更低的基础代谢率，与相邻未受保护的地区相比。我们将这些变量与保护区成立于 1999 年的 1999 年和 2020 年进行了比较。我们发现，从 1999 年到 2020 年，所有三个地区的植被覆盖都有所增加；REBIOSH 的植被覆盖高于更具人为化的 NAA，而在 2020 年，它在较少人为化的 SAA 中处于中间水平。微气候温度从 1999 年到 2020 年下降，REBIOSH 和 SAA 的温度低于 NAA。热安全裕度从 1999 年到 2020 年增加；REBIOSH 的热安全裕度高于 NAA，而在 SAA 中处于中间水平。觅食时间从 1999 年到 2020 年增加，并且在三个多边形之间相似。基础代谢率从 1999 年到 2020 年下降，并且在 NAA 中高于 REBIOSH 和 SAA。我们的结果表明，与 NAA 相比，REBIOSH 提供了更凉爽的微气候，增加了热安全裕度，并降低了这种多面手蜥蜴的代谢率，并且 REBIOSH 可能有助于其周围地区植被覆盖的增加。此外，保护原始植被覆盖是更广泛的气候变化缓解策略的重要组成部分。
