Life-history trait database of European reptile species

Annegret Grimm (1) , Ana María Prieto Ramírez (1) , Sylvain Moulherat (2) , Julie Reynaud (3) , Klaus Henle (1)

1 UFZ - Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung = Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research
2 SEEM - Station d’Ecologie Expérimentale du CNRS à Moulis
3 TerrOïko

Life-history data are essential for providing answers to a wide range of questions in evolution, ecology, and conservation biology. While life history data for many species, especially plants, are available online, life history traits of European reptiles are available only widely scattered in different languages and primarily in printed media. For this reason, we generated a comprehensive trait database covering all European reptile species. Data were compiled by searching the peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature. The database covers the whole of Europe and neighbouring Asian and African countries. Traits were categorised under five main headings: Activity / Energy / Habitat; Phenology; Movement; Sexual Maturity; and Morphometry. To ensure that the data were standardised, we defined trait data categories before we started compiling data. All entries were checked by at least one other person. The dataset provides a unique source for meta-analyses and modelling in ecology and conservation biology.

Mots clés: Activity; Europe; life history traits; lizards; movement; phenology

Domaines: Biodiversité et Ecologie; Systématique, phylogénie et taxonomie; Zoologie des vertébrés

Annegret Grimm, Ana María Prieto Ramírez, Sylvain Moulherat, Julie Reynaud, Klaus Henle. Life-history trait database of European reptile species. Nature Conservation, 2014, 9, pp.45-67. ⟨10.3897/natureconservation.9.8908⟩. ⟨hal-02972050⟩