It is not certain that the eastern and western populations belong to the same species; further taxonomic studies are needed to resolve this issue. Speybroeck et al. (2020) summarise the current state of research into this species, and recommended recognizing the three subspecies D. p. praticola, D. p. pontica and D. p. hungarica while cautioning that morphological research incorporating data across the complex's range may warrant recognising two or three distinct species.

European regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)
EU 27 regional assessment: Near Threatened (NT)

The species is assessed as Near Threatened for both Europe and the EU27 Member States (the latter encompassing approximately 50% of the species' European range) because this species has an area of occupancy below 500 km² (and as low as 240 km² within the EU) and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat driven by varied pressures that include agricultural development and deforestation. It does not presently occur as a severely fragmented population or at fewer than 10 locations As such it is close to but does not fully qualify for listing in a threatened category applying Criterion B2ab(iii).

Within the European region, this species occurs discontinuously from central Serbia, western and southern Romania, where new records have recently been taken and there has been limited survey effort in intervening areas (Maier et al. 2022), much of Bulgaria (except the southwest), and northeastern Greece (a few records from the margin of its range) to European Türkiye (Thrace) (Speybroeck et al. 2016).

The species has recently been recorded from several Romanian localities north of the Mureș River, which may represent a comparatively recent northern range expansion or possibly human-mediated dispersal (Maier et al. 2022). Recent records are lacking from some areas of central Bulgaria, southern Serbia and southern Romania from which it has been reported historically (Ćorović et al. 2018). Ecological niche modelling suggests suitable habitat exists in North Macedonia, Hungary, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, from which no records are so far known (Ćorović et al. 2018). Its occurrence at least in North Macedonia is plausible (Ćorović et al. 2018), and records are known from Romania close to the Hungarian border (Maier et al. 2022). The species has however not been recorded in this country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Croatia "despite frequent visits" (Ćorović et al. 2018). It may be genuinely absent from much of the Balkans west of western Serbia, as the karstic landscape is unlikely to be suitable due to rapid water loss (J. Crnobrnja-Isailovic pers. comm. 2022). Records from southern European Russia are outside the European Red List region. Both observational evidence and ecological niche modelling suggest that the distribution is genuinely somewhat fragmented by both natural barriers (high mountain ridges and plains along major rivers) and agricultural land (Ćorović et al. 2018).

In the Caucasus and adjacent territories this species is found in in all regions of the Russian Caucasus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. GIS-modeling (Maxent) of the distribution area was carried out. In the western Caucasus D. p. pontica has been detected along the Black Sea coast of Russia and Abkhazia, as well as the middle reaches of the Kuban River (Prikubanskaya sloping plain). In addition, the Black Sea coast of Turkey also belongs to the area where the highest habitat suitability was identified. It is possible that the species will be found in the Turkish provinces of Samsun, Giresun.

For the nominal subspecies, the most favourable area identified in modelling is located within Kabardino-Balkaria and adjacent regions of North Ossetia, along the northern slope of the Wooded Range and the Kabardian sloping plain, the Caucasian Mineral Waters and the floodplain of the river Kuma; and in Transcaucasia - mostly within the region of Mtseta-Mtianeti and Kakheti in Georgia. For D. p. hyrcanica, the territory of the most probable occurrence, is within the Talysh Mountains and adjacent areas of Elburz. This subspecies' range is isolated from other representatives of the complex by the Kura-Araks lowland, which is characterised by unsuitable subtropical semi-desert. The area with the highest suitability for D. p. loriensis is located within the belt of ridges of the central part of the Lesser Caucasus, corresponding to the Gugark-Mrovdag subprovince of the Lesser Caucasus. On the resulting map, the range of this taxon slightly extends into the adjacent territory of Georgia, the Kura-Alazani subprovince of the Kura province of the Greater Caucasus (Doronin 2016). Recently, the species was first discovered in the north of the Krasnodar Territory and the south of the Rostov Region. It is possible that the settlement along the valleys of the steppe rivers and forest belts occurred only in recent decades against the backdrop of climate change. Since the second half of the 1980s moisture conditions in the Western Ciscaucasia have become more favourable for the formation of forest-steppes, which are more suitable for this species than other steppe types. The situation in this region may be part of the current pan-European trend, which is manifested in the expansion of the ranges of thermophilic species of lacertids in a northerly direction (Doronin and Smirnova 2022).

It is rather rare in central and southern Europe (Agasyan et al. 2009), and the subpopulations in Europe are thought to be declining. It is rare in Romania (Maier et al. 2022). In the Caucasus, the populations are mostly stable. There is information about the expansion of the range (Doronin 2016, Doronin and Smirnova 2022). Even within stretches of highly suitable oak forest the species' distribution is highly localised, however the species is not presently thought to qualify as severely fragmented as there is no basis for suggesting that more than 50% of the population is likely to be restricted to fragments too small to be viable (J. Crnobrnja-Isailović pers. comm. 2022).

This is a largely terrestrial species often found in clearings with lush vegetation, traditional meadows and glades within open broad-leaf woodland. It favours woodland types with a well-developed herb layer, principally oak (sometimes with beech), and seems to avoid dry forest (Ćorović et al. 2018), and these authors' ecological niche modelling suggests that habitat suitability increases linearly with forest cover. It favours "rather moist and shaded places" and tends to be inactive during the hottest part of the day, suggesting it may have relatively restricted thermal tolerances and likely explaining its preference for forest habitats (Ćorović and Crnobrnja-Isailović 2018). It is commonly found in areas with streams or other small water sources, and in summer animals appear to congregate close to water sources or humid forest valleys (Ćorović et al. 2018). It can persist following deforestation so long as there is streamside vegetation or drainage canals that maintain suitable humidity regimes (Ćorović et al. 2018). It seems to favour areas with slopes, but it is unclear whether this reflects natural avoidance of flatland or is an artefact of the fact that most once-forested plains have been cleared for agriculture (Ćorović et al. 2018).

Ćorović and Crnobrnja-Isailović (2018) found that in laboratory conditions it favours set-point temperatures below 30 °C, with a thermal profile comparable to cold-adapted alpine lizards. It appears sensitive to winter temperatures, and is only found in areas with little deviation from 0 °C during its hibernation period (Ćorović et al. 2018). Females lays three to six eggs in a clutch between the middle of June and the middle of July (Speybroeck et al. 2016), two clutches during the summer for Georgia and Armenia. The young hatch from August to September. This species goes into hibernation in October.

In the Caucasus, out of the European region, the species is found in well-lit places in foothill, floodplain and mountain, mainly deciduous forests. In some places it enters meadows and areas of open steppe bordering forests. In alpine meadows, it lives at an altitude of 2,000 m above sea level. The number varies from 10-15 to 1,500 individuals/ha. The exit from wintering occurs at an air temperature of 10-14°C. The terms of leaving for wintering differ in different areas. Mating in May, laying two to six eggs 7 x 11 mm in size - in late June - July. In other parts of the Krasnodar Territory, the mass laying of eggs is dated for the second half of July. In the Stavropol Territory, the clutch of meadow lizards is from three to seven eggs, the appearance of young occurs in July - September. In Armenia, re-laying is possible. The incubation period lasts about 55 days. Young 22-23 mm long appear in the second half of August. Females reach sexual maturity at a body length of 46-48 mm. The diet of the meadow lizard is based on insects, mainly small beetles, ants, orthoptera, caterpillars, earwigs, and aphids; spiders, earthworms and wood lice are less common (Bannikov et al. 1977, Ananjeva et al. 1998, Tertyshnikov 2002).

Subpopulations in central and southern Europe (including Thrace) are significantly threatened by habitat loss and degradation caused by agricultural intensification (conversion of suitable habitat; overgrazing; agrochemical pollution) (CoE 2003) and legal/illegal deforestation. It is presumably experiencing habitat loss as a result of both historical and ongoing cutting of oak forests, and in most of its European range optimal deciduous forest habitats are restricted to small fragments (Ćorović et al. 2018). Illegal logging is widespread in the Balkans and this species is associated with oak forests whose timber is popular (J. Crnobrnja-Isailović pers. comm. 2022). In some areas oak is mixed with or has largely been replaced by the fast-growing invasive timber species Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia), which is commonly planted in oak forest (J. Crnobrnja-Isailović and J. Ćorović pers. comms. 2022). While small-scale deliberate planting in oak forest is unlikely to affect the lizard, at least in humid areas where the microclimate remains suitable, there are no records of the meadow lizard from heavily invaded areas or those where the primary vegetation is now black locust (J. Crnobrnja-Isailović pers. comm. 2022).

It is possible that these pressures may have resulted in the loss of historical subpopulations in much of southern Romania, which has lost about 50% of its forest cover within the last century (Covaciu-Marcov et al. 2009, Ghergel et al. 2011, Ćorović et al. 2018). A combination of increased temperature and reduced rainfall resulting from climate change may result in range contractions for this species, and the patchy distribution of peripheral subpopulations resulting from anthropogenic habitat fragmentation suggests that these may be unable to disperse to new areas as they become climatically more suitable (Ćorović and Crnobrnja-Isailović 2018). The expansion of run-of-river small hydropower plants in the hilly parts of the Balkan peninsula could indirectly, through alteration of microhabitats resulting in decreased humidity, negatively impact local subpopulations of this species (Crnobrnja-Isailović et al. 2021).

There is no information on any use of or trade in this species.

This species is listed on Annex III of the Bern Convention. It is present in protected areas in Serbia. There is research needed to confirm the relationships between populations in the western and eastern parts of the species' range. Habitat protection is especially needed for the isolated subpopulations. Further information is needed into the distribution and conservation status of this species in Central Europe. European subpopulations belonging to the subspecies hungarica (Sobolewsky, 1930) may qualify as a distinct species (see results of Freitas et al. 2016). Further research into this species' thermal ecology is needed to clarify the likely impacts of climate change, particularly on peripheral subpopulations (Ćorović and Crnobrnja-Isailović 2018). In Russia, it is protected on the territory of at least 10 reserves, national parks and sanctuaries.