Presence-absence data for amphibians, chelonians, saurians, ophidians, and the terrestrial and aquatic ecological guilds of reptilians were analyzed using multivariate analyses. Geographically consistant distributional patterns were found for all faunal groupings. The correspondence between analyses of the different taxa and guilds was not perfect, but similarities were found. All analyses agreed on the presence of a distinctive region in east Texas. Most analyses also agreed on the presence of distinctive regions in south Texas, the Trans-Pecos, the Edwards Plateau, and north-west Texas. There is strong correspondence between interpretations of the analyses based on the amphibian, saurian, ophidian, and terrestrial reptilian distributions, and the biotic provinces produced by earlier, subjective analyses. The Edwards Plateau and a region on the western periphery of east Texas were found to be transitional between other, more faunally distinctive areas for most fauna! groups. Detailed examination of these regions suggested they are best described as clinal in nature. The environmental variables which were most effective in explaining patterns in the distribution of the various taxa and guilds were related to precipitation. However, variations in temperature and physiography were also important predictors of distribution for several of the groups. The distributions of soil and vegetation associations were also found to be related to amphibian and reptilian distribution.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc331167 |
| Date | 08 1900 |
| Creators | Ward, Rocky |
| Contributors | Zimmerman, Earl G., Beitinger, Thomas L., Stewart, Kenneth W., Dickson, Kenneth L., Atkinson, Samuel F., Schoolmaster, Frank Andrew |
| Publisher | University of North Texas |
| Source Sets | University of North Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | xv, 445 leaves : ill., maps, Text |
| Coverage | United States - Texas |
| Rights | Public, Ward, Rocky, Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved. |
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