Transactions of the Western Section of the Wildlife Society

1979, Volume 15


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Year1979
Volume15
TitleEffects of Overgrazing on the Lizards of Five Upper and Lower Sonoran Habitat Types
Author(s)K. Bruce Jones
ArticleLink to PDF

Abstract:
Lizard populations sampled on poor condition (heavily grazed) chaparral. Desert grassland, mixed shrub dry wash, and mixed broadleaf riparian sites demonstrated lower density and diversity than on identical sites under good condition (nongrazed). Poor condition desert-scrub showed only slight differences in lizard density and diversity when compared to good condition sites of similar vegetation. Reduced lizard density and diversity on poor condition sites resulted from changes in vegetative structure and cover (due to overgrazing). Conversely, small differences between vegetative structure of good and poor condition desert scrub sites resulted in small differences in lizard density and diversity.


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