Abstract: The interaction between plants and reptiles is an important link that maintains ecosystem structure and function, covering a wide range of aspects such as habitat provisioning, microclimate regulation, food chain connectivity, and seed dispersal. In recent years, this relationship is undergoing profound changes due to dramatic land-use changes, including agricultural expansion, urbanization, and desertification. We systematically examined how land-use change affects plant community structure, habitat integrity, and resource accessibility, and consequently alters reptile distribution patterns, behavioral strategies, and interspecific interactions. It was found that changes in land use patterns can alter the dependence of reptiles on plant shelter and resources, and even disrupt or reshape certain coexistence relationships. Although plant-reptile relationships are particularly important in arid and semi-arid ecosystems, current research still suffers from narrow scales, insufficient exploration of mechanisms, and lagging technical tools. We emphasize the need to explore the spatial and temporal variability of plant-reptile relationships in the context of land use by combining multiscale surveys and new ecological monitoring techniques to provide a scientific basis for ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation.

Key words: reptile, interspecific association, coexistence relationship, land use, habitat modification