As levels of urbanization and habitat fragmentation increase, species that have specific habitat requirements often decline or disappear from the landscape entirely.  However, persistence of animal populations within areas that remain relatively undisturbed within an urbanized area has been documented. Characteristics of these habitat islands can be monitored and matched at replicate sites within a patchwork of habitat at the local landscape level to increase the stability of populations overall.  This strategy would be particularly useful as a mitigating option for areas where preservation of habitat is not likely or even possible.

Since the early 1990s, the persistence of Texas horned lizards, Phrynosoma cornutum, has been documented on wildlife reserves at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, Oklahoma.  Approximately 55 ha of habitat within a larger (2000 ha) military complex supports an estimated population of 40-60 individuals that is apparently stable.  Searches at nearby areas have not found evidence of stable populations, and in recent years the number of sightings or captures at these “satellite” sites has been lower.  In the immediate area, several fragments that appear to offer suitable habitat requirements have not produced any captures for ≥ 5 years.  The goal of my research is to apply the preferred habitat characteristics from the core population to the satellite sites via geospatial analysis, and compare the suitability of those sites to hypothetical lizard populations.  Several habitat parameters will be analyzed, including habitat type, habitat structure, thermal landscape modeling, predator and prey abundance, and percent bare ground available.  Following modeling, ground-truthing, and extensive field searching for remnant populations, I plan to relocate gravid females to those satellite sites and monitor their movements, reproductive status, body condition and habitat use.  Nesting success and hatchling survival will also be assessed.