Abstract
Networks consist of nodes interconnected by edges. Network theory provides many tools for analyzing a variety of biological problems. We apply various types of networks to investigate the interaction of habitat structure, social behavior, genetic diversity, dispersal, and gene flow in Ozark collared lizards (Crotaphytus collaris collaris) on glades, open rocky habitats imbedded in a woodland matrix, that constitute a well-studied metapopulation since 1984. Open bedrock is an important resource for these visually oriented animals for predation, territorial defense, and mating. By constructing behavioral networks among the lizards on a glade we show that the distribution of open bedrock within a glade, which influences visual openness, significantly influences the lizards’ social behavior, particularly male aggression. We use network analysis to show that subdivision of the bedrock by visual barriers allows males to monopolize the subsequent partitions. Using a measure of bedrock distribution within glades that can be obtained from remotely sensed data, we assessed the impact of visual openness on 132 glade populations, finding significant effects on population size, within-glade genetic diversity, dispersal networks, and gene flow networks. This work shows how a structural feature of the landscape can influence behavior, demography, and the distribution of genetic variation over space. We show how these significant effects can be modeled and predicted from remotely sensed data that allows an efficient and cost-effective way of prioritizing different areas for restoration and preservation of genetic variation in collared lizards in the Ozarks. This work also illustrates the flexibility of networks to analyze a multifaceted problem in evolutionary, ecological, and conservation biology.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | New Horizons in Evolution |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Pages | 131-160 |
Number of pages | 30 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9780323907521 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Jan 2021 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords
- Collared lizards
- Conservation biology
- Dispersal
- Gene flow
- Landscape genetics
- Networks
- Social behavior
- Translocation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology