Location of long-term communal burrows of a threatened arid-zone lizard in relation to soil and vegetation JENNA C. H. RIDLEY, 1 CHRISTINE A. SCHLESINGER 1 * AND C. MICHAEL BULL 2† 1 Research Institute of Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Alice Springs Campus, PO Box 795, Alice Springs Campus, Alice Springs, Northern Territory 0871, Australia (Email: Christine.schlesinger@cdu.edu.au); 2 School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Abstract The great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei) of the Egerniinae subfamily (Reptilia: Scincidae) is a com- munal burrowing lizard that inhabits arid spinifex grasslands in central Australia. Great desert skink activity is centred in and around the burrows which are inhabited for many years. However, it is not known whether skinks select burrow sites with specific attributes or how continuing occupancy of burrows is influenced by the sur- rounding habitat; especially post-fire, when plant cover is reduced. Here, we test whether great desert skink bur- rows in areas burnt 2 years previously and in longer unburnt areas are associated with particular habitat attributes, and whether there are differences between occupied and recently abandoned burrow sites. Vegetation composition, cover and soil surface characteristics at 56 established great desert skink burrows, including occu- pied and recently unoccupied burrows, were compared with 56 random nearby non-burrow control sites. Bur- row sites had higher plant cover compared with the surrounding landscape in both recently burnt and longer unburnt areas and were more likely to be associated with the presence of shrubs. Soil stability and infiltration were also higher at burrow sites. However, we found no evidence that burrows with lower cover were more likely to be abandoned. Our results suggest that great desert skinks may actively select high cover areas for burrow construction, although differences between burrow and control sites may also partly reflect local changes to plant cover and composition and soil properties resulting from burrow construction and long-term habitation of a site. Further research should determine if burrows with shrubs or higher plant cover provide greater protection from predators, more structural stability for burrow construction, increased prey abundance or other benefits. We rec- ommend that maintenance of areas with relatively higher plant cover be prioritized when managing great desert skink habitat. Key words: burrow, desert, habitat selection, Liopholis kintorei, threatened species. INTRODUCTION Hot arid environments are typically characterized by scarce water sources, low primary productivity and extreme temperatures (Van Etten 2009). Cover from environmental extremes and predators can be a limit- ing resource due to the relative scarcity of trees and other vegetation, whereas sunlight and warmth, par- ticularly important for ectothermic animals, are usu- ally readily accessible (Morton & James 1988; Somme 1995). For many terrestrial species, burrow- ing provides shelter from predators and a cool, moist environment with stable temperatures, and can be critical to survival (Kinlaw 1999; Kortner et al. 2008; Read et al. 2008). Burrows may also provide a safe haven from which to avoid cold winters, and poten- tially hibernate (Milne & Bull 2000), and a refuge from fire (Friend 1993; Robinson et al. 2014). Species that construct or inhabit burrows as refuges often centre their activities in and around the burrow system. Burrows are often associated with above-ground features, such as trees, logs or stones that enable optimal entrance arrangements, or provide cover for burrow openings (Kinlaw 1999). Particular soil prop- erties or other physical characteristics, such as the presence of tree or shrub roots, may also be required to provide stability for tunnels (Angers & Caron 1998). For example, Slater’s skink (Liopholis slateri) constructs burrows within soil mounds that build up around shrubs and small trees via wind transporta- tion of soil (Pavey et al. 2010; Fenner et al. 2012). If particular physical features are required for the suc- cessful construction of burrows, the species’ popula- tion or distribution may be limited by the prevalence of those features across the landscape. On the other hand, burrowing animals can also function as ecosys- tem engineers that alter the landscape around them. For example, sand goannas (Varanus gouldii) and *Corresponding author Accepted for publication July 2018. † This author passed away on 25 Nov 2016. © 2018 Ecological Society of Australia doi:10.1111/aec.12656 Austral Ecology (2018) , –