Thermophysiology or resource availability: What shapes the post-flooding abundance of lizard species across artificial islands in a Neotropical biome?

Global warming has led to increased flooding events, causing significant habitat fragmentation and affecting species distribution in tropical ecosystems. This study investigates the postflooding abundance of lizard species across artificially created islands in the Cerrado biome, focusing on the roles of thermophysiological traits and resource availability. We conducted a comprehensive survey, recording 560 individual lizards representing 13 species from eight families, and used generalized additive models to assess the impact of mean field-active body temperature and net primary productivity on lizard abundance. Our results indicate that a rise in mean field-active body temperature significantly correlates with reduced lizard abundance, supporting the physiological tolerance hypothesis. This finding points out the critical importance of thermoregulation for ectotherm survival in the face of climate change. Conversely, resource availability, measured through net primary productivity, showed no significant effect on lizard abundance. These findings bring to light the vulnerability of lizard populations to thermal stress and emphasize the necessity for conservation strategies that prioritize the creation of thermal refuges and improve habitat connectivity to mitigate the impacts of rising temperatures. By integrating species traits into macroecological analyses, our study offers valuable insights for biodiversity conservation in fragmented landscapes. Future research should explore diverse ecosystems to validate these findings, thereby informing effective conservation planning and ensuring the resilience of ectotherm populations in altered environments.