DOI: 10.5061/dryad.x95x69psd
title: Hotter deserts and the impending challenges for the spiny-tailed lizard in India

description: Ectotherms are particularly vulnerable to climate change, especially those
 living in extreme areas, such as deserts, where species are already
 thermally constrained. Using the vulnerable herbivorous lizard, Saara
 hardwickii, as a model system, we used a multi-pronged approach to
 understand the thermal ecology of a desert agamid and the potential
 impacts of rising temperatures. Our data included field-based measures of
 operative temperatures, body temperatures, and activity, as well as
 lab-based measures of thermal limits, preferences, and sprint speed. As
 expected, the temperature dependence of locomotor performance and foraging
 activity was different, and in the worst-case global warming scenario
 (SSP5-8.5), potential sprint speed may decrease by up to 14.5% and
 foraging activity may decrease by up to 43.5% by 2099. Burrows are
 essential thermal refuges, and global warming projections suggest
 that S. hardwickii may be restricted to burrows for up to 9 hours
 per day by 2099, which would greatly limit critical activities, like
 foraging and seeking mating opportunities. Overall, we show that key
 information on thermal ecology, including temperature-sensitive behaviours
 in the wild, is necessary to understand the multiple ways in which
 increasing temperatures may influence ectothermic vertebrates, especially
 for species like S. hardwickii which are already vulnerable to
 environmental change.
description: Detailed data collection methodology has been provided in the
 manuscript.
description: # Hotter deserts and the impending challenges for the spiny-tailed lizard
 in India
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x95x69psd](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.x95x69psd) This dataset encompasses all the data utilized for analysis within the manuscript. ## Description of the data and file structure \################################################################################################################################################## Field body temperature This datafile contains the data collected from thermal loggers on lizards from 15 March 2021 to 23 May 2021. \* Lizard_ID: Identifies individual lizards \* Date: It refers to the date on which the data was collected using the logger \* Time: It refers to the time on which the data was collected using the logger \* SVL: Snout-Vent length of the lizard in cms \* Mass: Mass of the lizard in grams \* Sex: Male or Female \* Site: The name of the either of the two sites used for data collection \* BCI: Body Condition Index of the lizard \* Temp.body: Calibrated skin temperature of the lizard in °C \################################################################################################################################################### Operative temperature habitat This datafile contains the data collected from copper models in different microhabitats. \* Date: Date on which the data was collected using the logger \* Time: Time on which the data was collected using the logger \* Burrow: Operative temperature in burrow in °C \* Open: Operative temperature in open in °C \**Cells with "null" suggest missing data as we removed copper models from the field on rainy/overcast days. \################################################################################################################################################### Operative temperature site This datafile contains the data collected from copper models in open microhabitat from two sampling sites. \* Date: Date on which the data was collected using the logger \* Time: Time on which the data was collected using the logger \* Open_S: Operative temperature in open collected from Sam sampling site in °C \* Open_B: Operative temperature in open collected from Bedhiya sampling site in °C \################################################################################################################################################### Operative temperature size This datafile contains the data collected from copper models of two different sizes in the three microhabitats. \* Date: Date on which the data was collected using the logger \* Time: Time on which the data was collected using the logger \* Open_ad: Operative temperature in open collected using an average adult STL sized copper model in °C \* Open_juv: Operative temperature in open collected using an average juvenile STL sized copper model in °C \* Bur_ad: Operative temperature in burrow collected using an average adult STL sized copper model in °C \* Bur_juv: Operative temperature in burrow collected using an average juvenile STL sized copper model in °C \################################################################################################################################################### TBAE This datafile contains the data collected from focal sampling and the data derived from operative temperatures using the TBAE algorithm. \* Date: It refers to the date on which the data was collected using the logger \* Time: It refers to the time on which the data was collected using the logger \* Activity_test: Data from focal sampling indicating whether the lizards were active (denoted as 1) or inactive (denoted as 0) \* Activity_algorithm: Data from TBAE algorithm indicating whether the lizards were active (denoted as 1) or inactive (denoted as 0) \################################################################################################################################################### Locomotor performace This datafile contains data collected by analysing performance run videos. \* Lizard_ID: Identifies individual lizards \* SVL: Snout-Vent length of the lizard in cms \* Mass: Mass of the lizard in grams \* Sex: Male or Female \* Site: The name of the either of the two sites used for data collection \* BCI: Body Condition Index of the lizard \* body.temp: Cloacal temperatutre of the lizard in °C \* Speed(m/s): Speed of the lizard in m/s \################################################################################################################################################### Critical thermal limits This datafile contains the data collected in the laboratory about the critical thermal limits of STL. \* Lizard_ID: Identifies individual lizards \* SVL: Snout-Vent length of the lizard in cms \* Mass: Mass of the lizard in grams \* Sex: Male or Female \* Site: The name of the either of the two sites used for data collection \* BCI: Body Condition Index of the lizard \* CTmax: Critical Thermal Maxima of the lizard in °C \* CTmin: Critical Thermal Minima of the lizard in °C \################################################################################################################################################### Preferred Temperature This datafile contains the data collected in the laboratory about the preferred temperature of STL. \* Lizard_ID: Identifies individual lizards \* SVL: Snout-Vent length of the lizard in cms \* Mass: Mass of the lizard in grams \* Sex: Male or Female \* Site: The name of the either of the two sites used for data collection \* BCI: Body Condition Index of the lizard \* Q25: First quartile lower quartile 25th percentile of the preferrence data for the lizard in °C \* Median: Second quartile median 50th percentile of the preferrence data for the lizard in °C \* Q75: Third quartile upper quartile 75th percentile of the preferrence data for the lizard in °C \################################################################################################################################################### Scan Survey This datafile contains the data collected in the field field using scan sampling. \* Open.temp: Operative temperature in open in °C \* Burrow: Proportion of individuals inside burrows \* Basking: Proportion of individuals basking \* Foraging: Proportion of individuals foraging \* Mating: Proportion of individuals engaged in courtship/mating \* Territorial: Proportion of individuals engaged in territorial behavior (fight/intimidation) \* Total: Proportion of individuals active \################################################################################################################################################## Calibration This datafile contains the data collected to calibrate skin and copper model temperatures to cloacal temperatures. \* Lizard_ID: Identifies individual lizards \* Cloacal: Cloacal temperature of the lizard in °C \* Skin: Skin temperature of the lizard in °C \* Copper_model: Copper_model temperature in °C \################################################################################################################################################## ## Code/Software All data was analysed using R 4.1.0.