Habitat Selection by Spur-Thighed Tortoise (Testudo graecu) in Marvar Hunting Stop Area, Yazd Province
Subject Areas : Biodiversity
Shirin Aghanajafizadeh
1
(Department of Environment, Maybod Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maybod , Iran)
Keywords: Marvar area, Spur-thighed Tortoise, Yazd province, ecology,
Abstract :
The habitat of Spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graecu) as a susceptible species was selected and studied within an area of 8000 hectare in the hunting ban area of Marver in Yazd Province. Habitat variables such as percentage of plant cover and Height of plant for each plant species separately; slope, soil texture, and distance to the nearest road; as well as farm and water resource around animal nest were measured by the establishment of sampling units near the animal hole and compared with the nonappearance locations. The results showed that regions with rather soft soil texture and higher percentage of (Atraphaxis sp) and sagebrush (Artemisia sp) plant cover with a gentle slope are preferred by this animal. The higher percentage of plant cover of two species of Atraphaxis sp and sagebrush provide the required cover for the nest. With regard to water and wind erosion in the region, the low slope prevents the destruction of the nest by water or soil. Furthermore, distance to the road keeps the eggs protected from human disturbance. Saving the population of Spur-thighed tortoise in this region depends on the protection of the structure of plant communities and soil.
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8- گزارش اداره هواشناسی استان یزد . 1394. 25 صفحه
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1- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species., 2014.Testudo graecu .Retrieved February 20, 2015, from http://www.Iucnredlist.org.
2- کمالی ، کامران. 1392. خزندگان و دوزیستان ایران. نشر انتشارات ایرانشاهی. 294 صفحه.
3- گزارش اداره کل حفاظت محیط زیست یزد. 1389. 121 صفحه.
4- Aguilar., Ana Sanz., Anadón, Jose Daniel., Jose Daniel, Andrés., Ballestar, Rubén., Graciá, Eva., Oro, Daniel. 2011. Coexisting with fire: The case of the terrestrial tortoise Testudo graeca in mediterranean shrublands.Vol: 144. PP: 1040–1049.
5- Berardo, Fabiana., Carranza,Maria Laura., Frate, Ludovico., Stanisci, Angela., Loy, Anna. 2015. Seasonal habitat preference by the flagship species Testudo hermanni: Implications for the conservation
6- El Mouden, E.H,.Slimani, T., Ben Kaddour., K., Lagarde., F., Ouhammou, A., Bonnet, X. 2006. estudo graeca graeca feeding ecology in an arid and overgrazed zone in Morocco.Journal of Arid Environments. Vol: 64. PP: 422–435.
7- گزارش جهاد کشاورزی استان یزد. 1389. 91 صفحه.
8- گزارش اداره هواشناسی استان یزد . 1394. 25 صفحه
.
