The rapid changes in altitude, and associated habitat, of mountain ecosystems make them ideal natural laboratories for testing the effect of environmental heterogeneity on species assemblage. Our understanding of the sensitivity of Australian reptiles to elevational clines is limited. We examined lizard distribution across three elevation zones (montane, subalpine and alpine), spanning from 900 to 1840 m above sea level, in the Australian alps. We aimed to examine how elevation influences species diversity and abundance, and ectoparasite load, and whether species alter their habitat use amongst different elevational zones. Active searches were conducted across the elevation zones to identify lizard community structure (at least 16 species) across elevational zones, along with skink habitat preferences and the ectoparasite load. Skink diversity and abundance were negatively correlated with increased elevation. The alpine zone had significantly lower diversity and abundance of skinks. Habitat use differed amongst both elevations and species. Ectoparasite prevalence was also significantly diminished in the alpine zone. Ectoparasites only infected a subset of the skink community, with ectoparasite load increasing as the active season progressed. This study provides evidence of the complex interplay between elevation and species diversity, as well as the differences in ectoparasite pressure along elevational gradients in the Australian alps.

中文翻译：

---

澳大利亚阿尔卑斯山海拔梯度上蜥蜴物种多样性、丰度和外寄生虫负荷的下降

山地生态系统海拔和相关栖息地的快速变化使它们成为测试环境异质性对物种组合影响的理想天然实验室。我们对澳大利亚爬行动物对海拔高度的敏感性的理解是有限的。我们研究了澳大利亚阿尔卑斯山海拔 900 至 1840 米的三个海拔区域（山地、亚高山和高山）的蜥蜴分布。我们旨在研究海拔如何影响物种多样性和丰度，以及外寄生虫负荷，以及物种是否会改变它们在不同海拔区域的栖息地使用。对海拔区域进行了主动搜索，以确定海拔区域的蜥蜴群落结构（至少 16 种），以及石龙子栖息地偏好和外寄生虫负荷。石龙子多样性和丰度与海拔升高呈负相关。高山地区石龙子的多样性和丰度明显较低。栖息地利用因海拔和物种而异。高山地区的体外寄生虫流行率也显着降低。体外寄生虫只感染了石龙子群落的一个子集，随着活跃季节的进行，体外寄生虫负荷增加。这项研究提供了海拔和物种多样性之间复杂相互作用的证据，以及澳大利亚阿尔卑斯山沿海拔梯度的外寄生虫压力差异。高山地区的体外寄生虫流行率也显着降低。体外寄生虫只感染了石龙子群落的一个子集，随着活跃季节的进行，体外寄生虫负荷增加。这项研究提供了海拔和物种多样性之间复杂相互作用的证据，以及澳大利亚阿尔卑斯山沿海拔梯度的外寄生虫压力差异。高山地区的体外寄生虫流行率也显着降低。体外寄生虫只感染了石龙子群落的一个子集，随着活跃季节的进行，体外寄生虫负荷增加。这项研究提供了海拔和物种多样性之间复杂相互作用的证据，以及澳大利亚阿尔卑斯山沿海拔梯度的外寄生虫压力差异。