Urban forest remnants: key refuges for reptile conservation in the Highlands of Southern Mexico, the effect of local and landscape environmental factors

Urban expansion is one of the leading drivers of reptile decline worldwide, reshaping assemblages through habitat loss, fragmentation, and altered microclimates. Yet, reptiles remain understudied in urban ecology compared to birds or plants. We assessed reptile diversity across eight urban and peri-urban forest remnants in Southern Mexico, spanning high, intermediate, and low conservation levels. Using standardized transects and environmental measurements, we examined alpha and beta diversity and the influence of biotic and abiotic factors at local and landscape scales. Surprisingly, low-conservation sites exhibited higher species richness and dominance, while well-conserved forests showed greater evenness. High species turnover highlighted the conservation value of heterogeneous sites. Humidity, tree diameter at breast height, and surrounding vegetation cover emerged as key drivers of reptile assemblages. Our findings emphasize that urban and peri-urban forests—often overlooked in conservation planning—can function as critical reservoirs for reptile biodiversity, including endemic and threatened species. This study illustrates the broader role of urban forest remnants as nature-based solutions to biodiversity loss in rapidly urbanizing regions, underscoring the need for their integration into global conservation agendas.