Keywords

Anolis sagrei; Anolis carolinensis; population; urban; habitat use

Abstract

Lizards in the genus anolis occupy a wide range of ecological niches, often sharing the same environment due to niche partitioning. In central Florida, the main species of anoles found are the native A. carolinensis and the invasive A. sagrei, two generalist anole species that partition into trunk-crown and trunk-ground niches in each other’s presences respectively. I surveyed the UCF main campus using Apollo Circle as the border for my study area, and I used point sampling to estimate the population abundance and density, while also collecting data on perch substrate, height, and canopy coverage. Population estimates for A. sagrei abundance and density were low but not significantly different compared to previous studies. The difference may still be substantial, but further study is required. The AIC best model used in this estimate showed high variability and should be interpreted with caution. A. sagrei were observed perched on anthropogenic and natural substances at roughly equal rates. A chi-squared test found that perch use did not significantly differ from the expected equal ratio of anthropogenic to natural perch use. Average A. sagrei perch height was low, as expected for a trunk-crown ecomorph, and average percent canopy coverage at perch was high. Only two A. carolinensis individuals were observed during the survey, so population estimates were not possible. The results show evidence that A. sagrei dominates the UCF main campus environment, with A. carolinensis populations likely to be much lower. Few studies included abundance and density estimates for comparison, indicating a need for baseline population data to prevent shifting baselines.

Thesis Completion Year

2026

Thesis Completion Semester

Spring

Thesis Chair

Fleming, Christen

College

College of Sciences

Department

Biology

Thesis Discipline

Biology

Language

English

Access Status

Open Access

Length of Campus Access

None

Campus Location

Orlando (Main) Campus

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