A management strategy for the long-term conservation of the Endangered sand-dune lizard at Pampean coastal dune

KACOLIRIS FEDERICO PABLO; VELASCO, MELINA ALICIA; KASS, CAMILA; KASS, N.; SIMOY, M. V.; GRILLI PABLO; MARTINEZ AGUIRRE, TOMÁS; DI PIETRO, DIEGO; WILLIAMS, JORGE DANIEL; BERKUNSKY IGOR

ORYX

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2019 vol. 53 p. 561 - 569

0030-6053

The sand-dune lizard, Liolaemus multimaculatus is an Endangered species, endemic from the Pampean coastal dune of Argentina. Towards a future Action Plan for this species, in the present work we study the demography and conservation status of all remaining populations of this lizard species and we suggest management actions to face local needs. We used population viability analysis to assess extinction risk in three inbreeding scenarios and estimate the minimum viable population (MVP) and the minimum area requirements (MAR). To assess the current status of each local population of this species, we used information related to population size, human pressure and connectivity. These results were then used to set and prioritize management conservation actions at local level. Our models showed that populations of more than 2,400 individuals would be viable in the long-term and that inbreeding depression has a strong effect on extinction risk. The southern patches of coastal dune contain the largest populations of sand-dune lizards and they also are the better connected and less threatened. We suggest land protection as the priority management action for populations of sand-dune lizard larger than the MVP, while habitat recovery, when possible, should be priority for patches of coastal dune smaller than the MAR. Supplementation with a small number of individuals might stabilise unviable populations, but should be considered only for some specific situations. The long-term viability of the sand-dune lizard will be possible if an Action Plan is implemented in the short-term.