General Ecology of Patagonian Lizards

RODRIGO GÓMEZ ALÉS; LUCIANO J. AVILA; JUAN CARLOS ACOSTA; PAULA C. ESCUDERO; GRACIELA BLANCO

Lizards of Patagonia, Diversity, Systematics, Biogeography and Biology of the Reptiles at the End of the World

Springer Nature Switzerland

Año: 2020; p. 293 - 334

Reptiles have physiological, morphological, and behavioral adaptations that allow them to survive in desert environments, at high altitudes and in cold climates, such as the Patagonia region in southern Argentina. Knowledge of the ecology of Patagonian lizards is limited and fragmentary. The objective of this chapter is to present a synthesis of the current state of knowledge of the ecology of Patagonian lizards with regard to the use of (1) spatial resources (home range, use of microhabitats), (2) temporal resources (daily and seasonal patterns of activity), and (3) trophic resources (diet and nutrition strategies). We also discuss inter- and intra-species interactions, including predation, seed dispersal, parasitism, behavior, and resource partitioning.