DOI: 10.5061/dryad.5x69p8d0n
title: Data from: Reptile responses to anthropogenic habitat modification: a global meta-analysis

description: Aim To determine how reptile populations respond to anthropogenic habitat
 modification and determine if species traits and environmental factors
 influence such responses. Location Global. Time period 1981–2018. Major
 taxa studied Squamata. Methods We compiled a database of 56 studies
 reporting how habitat modification affects reptile abundance, and
 calculated standardised mean differences in abundance (Hedges’ g). We used
 Bayesian meta-analytical models to test whether responses to habitat
 modification depended on body size, clutch size, reproductive mode,
 habitat specialisation, range size, disturbance type, vegetation type,
 temperature and precipitation. Results Based on 815 effect sizes from 376
 species, we found an overall negative effect of habitat modification on
 reptile abundance (mean Hedges’ g = -0.43, 95% credible intervals = -0.61
 to -0.26). Reptile abundance was, on average, one-third lower in modified
 compared to unmodified habitats. Small range sizes and small clutch sizes
 were associated with more negative responses to habitat modification,
 although the responses were weak and the credible intervals overlapped
 zero. We detected no effects of body size, habitat specialisation,
 reproductive mode (egg-laying or live-bearing), temperature, or
 precipitation. Some families exhibited more negative responses than
 others, although overall there was no phylogenetic signal in the data.
 Mining had the most negative impacts on reptile abundance, followed by
 agriculture, grazing, plantations and patch size reduction, whereas the
 mean effect of logging was neutral. Main conclusions Habitat modification
 is a key cause of reptile population declines, although there is
 variability in responses both within and between species, families, and
 vegetation types. The effect of disturbance type appeared to be related to
 intensity of habitat modification. Ongoing development of environmentally
 sustainable practices that ameliorate anthropogenic impacts is urgently
 needed to prevent reptile population declines.
description: Based on published literature, we compiled a database of 56
 studies reporting how habitat modification affects reptile abundance. We
 extracted data from the text, tables, figures and appendices of papers. We
 used the means, standard deviations and sample sizes to calculate
 standardised mean differences (Hedges’ <i>g </i>and log
 response ratio) and sampling variances. For each data point, we recorded a
 number of ecological and environmental traits predicted to be important
 determinants of population sensitivity to habitat disturbance. The
 ecological traits were body mass, clutch size, reproductive mode, habitat
 specialisation and range size. We calculated an index of habitat
 specialisation by counting the number of major habitat types (e.g. forest,
 savanna, wetlands, rocky areas) listed in each species’ IUCN Red List
 profile. We derived range size from species distribution maps. A full set
 of trait data was not available for all study species. We recorded
 vegetation types as either forest, woodland, shrubland or grassland. We
 calculated the mean temperature of the warmest quarter of the year and
 mean annual precipitation within a 5-km radius around each study
 location.