PREDATION AND SPATIAL-DISTRIBUTION OF THE LIZARD PODARCIS-HISPANICA ATRATA - AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

This study reports on an experiment designed to quantify potential pre dation by birds on the lizard Podarcis hispanica atrata in the Columbr etes islands (Castellon, Spain). We used plasticine replicas to examin e predation risk of replicas as a function of proximity to vegetation and to potential predators, and to investigate the seasonal variation in patterns of predation. Predation on replicas was very high and inte nsive within only four days, and differed between study areas and seas ons. Predation was more intense when replicas were closer to nests of gulls and far from vegetation. The Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnan s michaellis) was identified as the major species responsible for pred ation on lizard replicas.