Evaluation of a long-term method to monitor the gecko Euleptes europaea on Grand Rouveau Island (Embiez Archipelago, Var, France).

• Main Authors: Cheylan, Marc, Rivière, Vincent, Cheylan, Aurélien
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 2018
• Subjects: [SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology; Rattus rattus
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03532801; https://hal.science/hal-03532801/document; https://hal.science/hal-03532801/file/bitstream_130067.pdf

International audience Population surveys are a prerequisite for evaluating the demographic trends of species. Moreover, they are indispensable for assessing conservation measures implemented to protect threatened species. Accurate surveys require robust methods that can be easily reproduced over time. The aim of this study conducted on Grand Rouveau Island was to test the applicability of a long-term monitoring method to a threatened cryptic and nocturnal species: the European leaf-toed gecko Euleptes europaea. The method consisted of constructing artificial refuges attractive to the species to simplify monitoring of the population. To this end, two types of shelters were tested: one type was constructed from honeycomb brick and the other from curved ceramic roof tiles covered with piles of stones. The results showed that the system consisting of three superimposed tiles was particularly suitable for the desired objectives. It is simple to construct, easy to monitor and little affected by temporal, meteorological or observer bias. The shelters of this type placed in May 2014 were rapidly colonized by the species on a long-term basis, as indicated during the first four years of monitoring. This method could allow future studies to better define the ecological requirements of this species and to assess the success of the ecological engineering actions carried out on the island, which include the elimination of the invasive exotic ice plant Carpobrotus edulis and the black rat Rattus rattus. Les suivis de population constituent un préalable nécessaire à l’évaluation des tendances démographiques des espèces. Ils sont en outre indispensables à une bonne évaluation des actions de conservation engagées en faveur des espèces menacées. Pour cela, il convient de disposer de méthodes robustes, facilement reproductibles dans le temps. L’étude conduite sur l’île de Grand Rouveau a pour objectif de tester une méthode de suivi applicable à une espèce cryptique et menacée : le Phyllodactyle d’Europe Euleptes europaea. La ...