However, in spite of the harmful environmental conditions and the long activity time Zamora-Camacho et al. A possible explanation is that the lower food availability would lead to poor body condition and so too low reproductive investment see Bronikowski and Arnold , thereby lengthening lifespan and balancing the negative impact derived from high activity time and oxidative damage Figure 9. Flow chart of the interactions that could explain the elevational variation in lifespan of the lizard P.
There is a trade-off between lifespan and reproductive investment. Activity time and oxidative stress decrease with altitude, whereas food availability increases. Both activity time and oxidative stress have negative effects on lifespan; activity time increases reproductive investment, which, in turn, increases oxidative stress.
Meanwhile, food availability improves body condition, which at the same time boosts reproductive investment. Alternatively, the altitudinal pattern found for age structure could be a consequence of elevational variation in intraspecific competition.
In fact, P. Effectively, when density is high, aggressions between lizards may affect their survival Le Galliard et al. Consistent with this idea, P.
Senescence implies a deterioration of physiological conditions in older individuals, resulting in greater mortality Massot et al. In fact, senescence often implies a deterioration of the immune system Zamora-Camacho and Comas , which also leads to higher mortality due to pathogens and parasites.
In conclusion, our findings contrast with most of those published to date on lizards and ectotherms in general , which typically report greater longevity at higher altitudes. As summarized in Figure 9 , several factors may affect lifespan in complex ways.
Consequently, a pattern of enhanced longevity with altitude is not universal and our study highlights some causes that could be responsible for exceptions to the rule. We thank the personnel from the Espacio Natural de Sierra Nevada for their constant support. Comments from 3 anonymous referees greatly improved the manuscript.
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Distribution Found throughout the country, except for most Scottish islands, the Isles of Scilly and the Channel Islands. The only reptile native to Ireland. Habitats Grassland Heathland and moorland Coastal Woodland. Did you know? If threatened by a predator, the common lizard will shed its still-moving tail in order to distract its attacker and make a quick getaway. This leaves a scar behind, but it can regrow its tail, although it is usually shorter than the original.
Species Sand lizard The sand lizard is extremely rare due to the loss of its sandy heath and dune habitats. Species Slow worm Despite appearances, the slow worm is actually a legless lizard, not a worm or a snake!
Species Grass snake The grass snake is our longest snake, but don't worry if you find one in the compost heap - it's harmless! How you can help As a charity we rely on memberships. Lizards are found all over the world in almost every type of terrain.
Some live in trees; others prefer to live in vegetation on the ground, while others live in deserts among rocks. For example, the Texas horned lizard is found in the warm areas with little plant cover in southern North America. The northern fence lizard, on the other hand, likes to live in cool pine forests in northern North America.
Most lizards are active during the day. Lizards are cold-blooded animals, which means they rely on their environment to help warm their bodies. They use the heat of the sun to raise their body temperatures and are active when their bodies are warm. The sun also helps lizards produce vitamin D. Their days are spent sun-bathing on rocks, hunting for food or waiting for food to come their way.
Some lizards are territorial, while others can easily live with dozens of other lizards of many different species. Other than mating times, most lizards are not social, though. There are some exceptions. For example, the desert night lizard lives in family groups, according to research by the University of California. A lizard's scaly skin does not grow as the animal ages. Most lizards shed their skin, or molt, in large flakes. Lizards also have the ability to break off part of their tails when a predator grabs it.
Many lizards are carnivores, which means they eat meat.
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