DOI: 10.5061/dryad.mcvdnck87
title: Data from: Sex and age differences in habitat selection of the mountain dragon lizard (<em>Diploderma splendidum</em>) from Western China

description: Habitat selection in animals results from a careful balance of individual
 requirements, environmental conditions, and ecological disturbances.
 Preferences can vary across sexes and ages due to differences in survival
 and reproductive priorities. Despite this variability, most studies have
 traditionally focused on isolated aspects of either sex or age-related
 differences in habitat selection, rather than considering a comprehensive
 range of influencing factors. The mountain dragon lizard (Diploderma
 splendidum) exemplifies a species adapted to shrub habitats in the dry-hot
 river valleys of the lower Jinsha River, western China, playing a crucial
 role in regional ecosystem stability. In this study, we examined the
 influence of 11 ecological factors on habitat selection by male and female
 D. splendidum across two distinct age classes (juvenile and adult) to
 explore sex and age-related disparities. The lizards showed considerable
 similarity in habitat preferences but notable differences in their
 selection of specific ecological factors. Compared to adult females, adult
 males displayed a preference for higher tree positions, lower light
 intensity, and moderate vegetation density. Compared to juvenile females,
 juvenile males favored higher tree positions, low rock formations, and
 shrubby grassland and forest. Compared to juvenile females, adult females
 preferred higher tree positions and habitats further from water. Compared
 to juvenile males, adult males preferred higher tree habitats. Overall,
 habitat selection complexity in D. splendidum was significantly influenced
 by sex and age factors. This study contributes to our understanding of how
 these lizards respond to different physiological structures and resource
 requirements. These findings enhance current knowledge on reptile habitat
 selection and provide theoretical insights crucial for ecological
 restoration and species protection in the hot and dry valley areas of
 Hengduan Mountain.
description: # Data from: Sex and age differences in habitat selection of the mountain
 dragon lizard (*Diploderma splendidum*) from Western China We have
 submitted our raw data (**Data.xlsx**), the specific code of habitat
 selection analysis of Diploderma splendidum (**code.R**). #### Description
 of the data and file structure ### **Data.xlsx** * ID: Serial numbers
 issued in sequence * Individual number: Individual collection number *
 Sex: female or male * age: adult or subadult * plot: Subsequent data
 collection: whether the plots are experimental or control plots * Tree
 height (cm): Vegetation height within the plot where the individual was
 found * Perch height (cm): The specific height of the vegetation in which
 the individual was found * Distance from nearest water (m*)*: The
 straight-line distance from the discovered individual to the nearest water
 source * Distance from nearest road (m): The straight-line distance from
 the discovered individual to the nearest road * Light intensity (Lux): The
 light intensity at the location of the detected individual * Rock height
 (cm): The height of the rock at the location where the individual was
 discovered * Rock size (cm): Rock size at the location where the
 individual was discovered * Vegetation type: Vegetation type at the
 location where the individual was found, was found is categorised as Herb,
 Shrub and herb, Forest and herb or Forest shrub and herb. * Vegetation
 coverage: Vegetation cover at the location where the individual was found,
 was found is categorised as&lt;20%, 20%—60% or &gt;60%. * Vegetation
 density: Vegetation density at the location where the individual was
 found, was found is categorised as&lt;1, 2—7, &gt;8. * Substrate status:
 The substrate status at the location where the individual was discovered,
 was found is categorised as soil, soil-macadam mix, or macadam. * Missing
 data available as NA. ### **Code/Software** R is required to run code.R;
 the script was created using version 4.3.3. Annotations are provided
 throughout the script through 1) the partial dependence plots of a random
 forest model, 2) the mean decrease Gini index plot of a random forest
 model.