On Lizard Species Diversity: North American Flatland Deserts
Pianka ER. 1967. On Lizard Species Diversity: North American Flatland Deserts. Ecology. 48(3):333-351
Eight potential mechanisms for the determination of species diversity are described and discussed, and data relevant to each are presented for a particular diversity gradient: namely that of the flat land desert lizards of western North America. It is concluded that ecological time, spatial heterogeneity, length of growing season, and amount of warm season productivity are all factors which determine the total number of lizard species occurring on an area, but that the most important single factor is the spatial heterogeneity (mainly vegetative) of the environment. It is suggested that climatic variability allows the coexistence of many different plant life forms, the variety of which in turn controls the number of lizard species.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Pianka, Eric
- Units
- MOJA
- Keywords
- Animal Studies