Quantifiable long-term monitoring on parks and nature preserves
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Abstract
Herpetofauna have declined globally, and monitoring is a useful approach to document local and long-term changes. However, monitoring efforts often fail to account for detectability or follow standardized protocols. We performed a case study at Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve in Cary, NC to model occupancy of focal species and demonstrate a replicable long-term protocol useful to parks and nature preserves. From March 2010 to 2011, we documented occupancy of Ambystoma opacum(Marbled Salamander), Plethodon cinereus (Red-backed Salamander), Carphophis amoenus (Eastern Worm Snake), and Diadophis punctatus (Ringneck Snake) at coverboard sites and estimated breeding female Ambystoma maculatum (Spotted Salamander) abundance via dependent double-observer egg-mass counts in ephemeral pools. Temperature influenced detection of both Marbled and Red-backed Salamanders. Based on egg-mass data, we estimated Spotted Salamander abundance to be between 21 and 44 breeding females. We detected 43 of 53 previously documented herpetofauna species. Our approach demonstrates a monitoring protocol that accounts for factors that influence species detection and is replicable by parks or nature preserves with limited resources.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Quantifiable long-term monitoring on parks and nature preserves |
| Series title | Southeastern Naturalist |
| DOI | 10.1656/058.012.0208 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Eagle Hill Institute |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Atlanta |
| Description | 14 p. |
| First page | 339 |
| Last page | 352 |
| Country | United States |
| State | North Carolina |
| City | Cary |
| Other Geospatial | Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |