## Materials and Methods
### Biomimetic Logger Deployment on Study Sites  
In order to quantify the spatio-temporal variability of activity time and the persistence index of Pyrenean rock lizard populations, the study was conducted during the critical breeding period. Biomimetic loggers measured the operative temperature (Te), a proxy of the lizard body temperature if it remained at the location where the model was deployed [98; 99]. In reality, individuals have developed adaptive thermoregulatory behavior to avoid temperatures that are too low or two high and do not stay in the same place [11; 82]. This methodology makes it possible to quantify the possible activity hours, i.e., when the individual is not in his refuge and the inactivity hours constrained by body temperatures outside the thermal tolerance range [11; 82]. Thus, it is very important to deploy the biomimetic loggers on lizard sunbathing areas, for example on scenes rather than on the lawn for the Pyrenean rock lizard. We illustrate this with a picture of another species present in the area, at lower altitude: _Podarcis liolepis_ (Figure 1).  
We used the HOBO U23-003 ONSET(r) data-loggers, which permit the measurement of outdoor temperatures as they are waterproof ([[https://www.onsetomp.com/datasheet/U23-003](https://www.onsetomp.com/datasheet/U23-003)]([https://www.onsetomp.com/datasheet/U23-003](https://www.onsetomp.com/datasheet/U23-003))). The sensors are thin which facilitates their insertion in biomimetic models and their operation range is \(-\)40 to 100 \({}^{\circ}\)C, which covers the Pyrenean rock lizard tolerance thermal range (CTmin = 6.1 \({}^{\circ}\)C and CTmax = 42.2 \({}^{\circ}\)C, unpublished work by [PERSON], based on individuals captured at the Anglas site). Data-logger's thermal probe were inserted inside biomimetic models, PVC tubes the same size as a lizard and with the same thermal properties, the set is the biomimetic logger (Figure 1).  
The deployments at the three sites allowed the study of different variability levels. The inter-slope and inter-altitude variability was studied through the biomimetic loggers deployment at Peyreget site in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Four localities were selected, two at about 2280 m (low altitude (L)) and two others at about 2430 m (high altitude (H)). For each altitude pair, one was located on the south slope (S) and the other on the north slope (N). To study the intra-site variability, two replicates spaced only one meter apart were deployed at about 2050 m on the Anglas site during the same three years (An\({}_{1}\) and An\({}_{2}\)) and on Arrious in 2019 (Ar\({}_{1}\) and Ar\({}_{2}\)). A fifth biomimetic logger added in 2019 on Peyreget (P) at the same altitude as those of the Anglas and Arrious sites allowed the study of inter-site variability. Finally, deployment over several years enabled to quantify the annual variability (Figure 2).  
The biomimetic loggers recorded Te during the breeding period, which starts at the earliest in mid-June on Anglas and Arrious and ends at the end of September. To collect data, unlike traditional remote sensing tools, it is necessary to connect the data-logger to the computer using a handheld station. Then, the recording is restarted and the biomimetic logger is put back in place [23]. We defined a common study period to all sites and all years. Here, we considered the breeding period from 15 July at 00:00 a.m.--the beginning of the activity period on Peyreget, the highest of the three sites--to 2 September at 11:50 p.m.--the recording on the locality of NL in 2017 had stopped on the 3 rd. Data recording is performed at a 10 min frequency, which represents a good compromise between the fine capture of environmental variations and the material storage capacity. Thus, Te time series obtained are composed of 7200 measurements.  
Figure 1: A PVC biomimetic logger at an exposure site, a _Podarcis liolepis_ female basking nearby. The biomimetic model was placed on a sunbathing area. It is connected to the data-logger which is hidden under the rocks. Photographic credit: [PERSON].