Distribution, abundance, and habitat use of the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard on the Naval Petroleum Reserves, Kern County, California
The distribution, abundance, and habitat use of the endangered blunt-nosed leopard lizard, Gambelia silus, was studied on and adjacent to Naval Petroleum Reserves No. 1 (NPR-1, Elk Hills), and No. 2 (NPR-2, Buena Vista), Kern County, CAlifornia. A total of 262 blunt-nosed leopard lizards were seen over 8 years (1979-1987) in 28 sections of NPR-1, 15 sections of NPR-2, and 10 sections adjacent to the petroleum reserves. All but one were in areas of gentle or flat relief with sparse annual ground cover. Home range size and overlap, activity patterns, and habitat use were determined from monitoring blunt-nosed leopard lizards fitted with miniature radiocollars on two study sites. Mean home range size estimated by the minimum polygon method was 2.7 acres for female blunt-nosed leopard lizards, which was significantly smaller than the 5.4 acres mean home range size for males inhabiting a major wash. The structure of the habitat affected significantly the lizards' activity and burrow use. Lizards inhabiting the wash study site were more frequently seen on the surface not associated with a burrow than lizards in the more sparsely vegetated grassland study site (63% compared with 48% of their sightings); 51.5% of the sightings for lizards in the grassland study site were associated with burrows, compared with 37.1% for lizards in the wash study site. Burrows were not shared and some burrows were used more than once (30% of burrows and 62% of burrow sightings).
- Research Organization:
- EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc., Goleta, CA (USA). Santa Barbara Operations
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC08-83NV10282
- OSTI ID:
- 5412954
- Report Number(s):
- EGG-10282-2185; ON: DE88005678
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Wildlife management plan, Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1, Kern County, California
Elk Hills Endangered Species Program: environmental assessment of the blunt-nosed leopard lizard, Crotaphytus silus. Phase 2, 1980
Related Subjects
LIZARDS
ABUNDANCE
BEHAVIOR
HABITAT
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
NAVAL PETROLEUM RESERVE
ENDANGERED SPECIES
CALIFORNIA
ANIMALS
DISTRIBUTION
FEDERAL REGION IX
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
REPTILES
RESERVES
RESOURCES
USA
VERTEBRATES
510500* - Environment
Terrestrial- Site Resource & Use Studies- (-1989)