Ecological disturbance in a sandhills prairie: impact and importance to the lizard community on Arapaho Prairie in western Nebraska

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Prairie Nat.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6071252

Ballinger, R E; Jones, S M

Lizard species occurring in the sandhills prairie of western Nebraska are typically restricted to microhabitats which have sparse vegetation. The fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) and the lesser earless lizard (Holbrookia maculata) are especially abundant in open blowouts. Only the six-lined racerunner (Cnemidophorus sexlineatus) occupies microhabitats with dense grass. Since cattle grazing was discontinued on Arapaho Prairie in 1977, associated vegetational changes have tended to reduce the microhabitats available for lizards. As a result of the decreased disturbance to the vegetation, lizards have become more restricted and less abundant on Arapaho Prairie. 19 references, 1 figure, 3 tables.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln
• OSTI ID: 6071252
• Journal Information: Prairie Nat.; (United States), Vol. 17:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LIZARDS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
ECOLOGY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GRASS
HABITAT
NEBRASKA
POPULATION DENSITY
ANIMALS
DATA
FEDERAL REGION VII
INFORMATION
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PLANTS
REPTILES
USA
VERTEBRATES
510100* - Environment
Terrestrial- Basic Studies- (-1989)