Diversity and distribution of reptiles in Romania |
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Authors: | Dan Cog?lniceanu Laurentiu Rozylowicz Paul Székely Ciprian Samoil? Florina St?nescu Marian Tudor Diana Székely Ruben Iosif |
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Affiliation: | 1.University Ovidius Constanţa, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Agricultural Sciences, Al. Universităţii nr. 1, corp B, 900470, Constanţa, Romania ; 2.University of Bucharest, Center for Environmental Research and Impact Studies, Bd. N. Bălcescu nr. 1, 010041, Bucharest, Romania |
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Abstract: | The reptile fauna of Romania comprises 23 species, out of which 12 species reach here the limit of their geographic range. We compiled and updated a national database of the reptile species occurrences from a variety of sources including our own field surveys, personal communication from specialists, museum collections and the scientific literature. The occurrence records were georeferenced and stored in a geodatabase for additional analysis of their spatial patterns. The spatial analysis revealed a biased sampling effort concentrated in various protected areas, and deficient in the vast agricultural areas of the southern part of Romania. The patterns of species richness showed a higher number of species in the warmer and drier regions, and a relatively low number of species in the rest of the country. Our database provides a starting point for further analyses, and represents a reliable tool for drafting conservation plans. |
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Keywords: | Reptilia species distribution species range biodiversity data species richness rarity |
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