Age and reproductive status determine spatial niche utilization in Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758)

Angel Dyugmedzhiev; Borislav Naumov; Nikolay Tzankov

doi:10.26496/bjz.2025.197

Authors

Angel Dyugmedzhiev Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Borislav Naumov Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Nikolay Tzankov National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26496/bjz.2025.197

Keywords:

habitat, microhabitat, vipers, snakes, ontogenetic

Abstract

While data on habitat use of Vipera ammodytes are abundant, most studies are purely descriptive and only list the typical habitats in which the species is found. The intraspecific variations (i.e., ontogenetic and intersexual) in habitat and microhabitat utilization remain very poorly studied. In order to assess those intraspecific variations, we studied five different populations in western Bulgaria between 2014–2017, searching for vipers from early spring to late autumn in 24 different habitat types. The ontogenetic and intersexual variations in spatial niche breadth were analysed using several ecological diversity indices, and microhabitat characteristics were estimated by the presence of trees/shrubs, grasses and stones/rocks within a 5 m diameter of each viper’s location. Vipers were found in 17 habitat types. Habitat and microhabitat selection of Vipera ammodytes were age-dependent, with juveniles having the narrowest spatial niche and preferring more open microhabitats. The breadth of the spatial niche gradually increased with age, along with the tendency to inhabit microhabitats with more shrubs. During gestation, female’s spatial niche narrowed significantly and pregnant vipers again tended to use more open microhabitats, known as rookery. The observed results could be explained by a combination of factors, such as 1) the ontogenetic differences in the trophic niche and feeding patterns, 2) different prey type abundance in distinct habitats and microhabitats, 3) the size differences between age groups with all benefits and limitations that come with them, 4) distinct behavioural patterns differing between sex/age groups or 5) a size-related bias in detection probabilities.

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