Nest-site preference in captive Chinese alligators Alligator sinensis
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Nest site selection occupies an extremely important place in the life history of reptiles and directly influences population persistence and reproductive success. Therefore, understanding this behavior is essential for the conservation of the endangered Chinese alligator Alligator sinensis . To investigate nest-site preferences in captive breeding environments, we surveyed 210 artificial nests across 3 breeding sites with varying management practices. Principal component analysis revealed 4 major environmental gradients (cumulative variance explained: 75.75%), with distance to water, slope length, and canopy cover contributing most to the first component (location factor), while bank height, slope angle, and platform area defined the second component (topographic factor). Habitat selection analysis showed that alligators significantly avoided nests with higher bank elevations (Vanderploeg = 0.757, p < 0.001) and steeper slopes (Vanderploeg = 0.839, p < 0.001). The best-fit generalized linear mixed model identified bank height (odds ratio = 0.383, p = 0.040) and platform area (odds ratio = 1.123, p = 0.095) as key predictors of nest utilization, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.751 and overall accuracy of 70.7%. These findings provide a scientific basis for improving the design of artificial nests, which can enhance reproductive efficiency in captive Chinese alligators and support habitat restoration efforts.
Source: Endangered Species Research
DOI: 10.3354/esr01476
Authors: Jianjun Miao, Ke Sun, Jin Chen, Guangwei Fan, Tongsheng Xia, Yongkang Zhou, Genjun Tu, Zhenpeng Yu, Xiaobing Wu, Tao Pan
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,671
OpenAlex ID: W4417455771