Influences of area, isolation and habitat features on distribution of snakes in Mediterranean fragmented woodlands

摘要: The effects of isolation-related and vegetational parameters on presence relative abundance snakes in patchy forested fragments Mediterranean central Italy are studied. most abundant species was Coluber viridiflavus (accounting for 47.7% the total snake sample observed) followed by Vipera aspis (22%), Elaphe longissima (21.5%), Natrix natrix (7.7%), Coronella austriaca (1.1%). There a clear trend bigger to be less distributed among various forest than smaller species. Presence viridiflavus, not influenced woodland area, whereas that positively area. Woodland isolation did influence natrix, but longissima. Discriminant stepwise analysis suggested specific environmental features occurrence species, being taxon more affected parameters. Some conservation implications our observations also discussed.