Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408785911048
T. Porter, R. Dillingham, R. Venedam
We have designed and tested a portable instrument consisting of a small infrared camera coupled with an array of piezoresistive microcantilever sensors that is used to provide real-time, non-invasive data on desert tortoise den occupancy. The piezoresistive microcantilever (PMC) sensors are used to obtain a chemical “signature” of tortoise presence from the air deep within the dens, and provide data in cases where the camera cannot extend deep enough into the den to provide visual evidence of tortoise presence. The infrared camera was used to verify the PMC data during testing, and in many cases such as shallower dens, may be used to provide exact numbers on den populations.
{"title":"A Microcantilever Sensor Array for the Detection and Inventory of Desert Tortoises","authors":"T. Porter, R. Dillingham, R. Venedam","doi":"10.1163/157075408785911048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408785911048","url":null,"abstract":"We have designed and tested a portable instrument consisting of a small infrared camera coupled with an array of piezoresistive microcantilever sensors that is used to provide real-time, non-invasive data on desert tortoise den occupancy. The piezoresistive microcantilever (PMC) sensors are used to obtain a chemical “signature” of tortoise presence from the air deep within the dens, and provide data in cases where the camera cannot extend deep enough into the den to provide visual evidence of tortoise presence. The infrared camera was used to verify the PMC data during testing, and in many cases such as shallower dens, may be used to provide exact numbers on den populations.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"293-301"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408785911048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64921542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408783489185
K. Krysko, James C. Nifong, F. Mazzotti, R. Snow, Kevin M. Enge
Kenneth L. Krysko1,5, James C. Nifong1, Ray W. Snow2, Kevin M. Enge3, Frank J. Mazzotti4 1 Florida Museum of Natural History, Division of Herpetology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA 2 Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, Florida 33034, USA 3 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 South Main Street, Gainesville, Florida 32601, USA 4 Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, 3205 College Avenue, Davie, Florida 33314, USA 5 Corresponding author; e-mail: kenneyk@flmnh.ufl.edu
Kenneth L. krysko1,5, James C. Nifong1, Ray W. Snow2, Kevin M. Enge3, Frank J. Mazzotti4 1佛罗里达大学佛罗里达自然历史博物馆爬行动物学部，佛罗里达州盖恩斯维尔32611;2大沼泽地国家公园，40001国道9336，佛罗里达州Homestead 33034; 3佛罗里达州鱼类和野生动物保护委员会，佛罗里达州盖恩斯维尔南大街4005号，佛罗里达州32601;劳德代尔堡研究与教育中心，3205学院大道，戴维，佛罗里达州33314，美国5通讯作者;电子邮件:kenneyk@flmnh.ufl.edu
{"title":"Reproduction of the Burmese python ( Python molurus bivittatus ) in southern Florida","authors":"K. Krysko, James C. Nifong, F. Mazzotti, R. Snow, Kevin M. Enge","doi":"10.1163/157075408783489185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408783489185","url":null,"abstract":"Kenneth L. Krysko1,5, James C. Nifong1, Ray W. Snow2, Kevin M. Enge3, Frank J. Mazzotti4 1 Florida Museum of Natural History, Division of Herpetology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA 2 Everglades National Park, 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, Florida 33034, USA 3 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 4005 South Main Street, Gainesville, Florida 32601, USA 4 Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, 3205 College Avenue, Davie, Florida 33314, USA 5 Corresponding author; e-mail: kenneyk@flmnh.ufl.edu","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"93-95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408783489185","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64919438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408783489220
Karthikeyan., Balasubramanian
The annulated sea snake ( Hydrophis cyanocinctus ) is a black and yellow banded neurotoxic hydrophiid, widely distributed along the Indian coast. Observations on the feeding and reproductive behavior of the snake were made for the first time in captivity. It consumed live or chopped fish; prey size depended on snake size. Breeding commenced in October and the matured neonates were observed during the following January. Twenty five gravid snakes gave birth to 87 neonates, i.e. 3-5 neonates per snake. During delivery, they exhibited a different type of movement to release the neonates, and all were delivered only at night. All neonates were measured the morphological traits of weight, snout-vent length, tail length, head length, head width, neck girth and body girth. The relative size of females and males differed significantly. But the relative size of tail length showed an opposite trend compared to other morphological traits. At the end of the experiment, the snakes and neonates were released in the open sea.
{"title":"Feeding and reproductive behavior of captive sea snakes Hydrophis cyanocinctus","authors":"Karthikeyan., Balasubramanian","doi":"10.1163/157075408783489220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408783489220","url":null,"abstract":"The annulated sea snake ( Hydrophis cyanocinctus ) is a black and yellow banded neurotoxic hydrophiid, widely distributed along the Indian coast. Observations on the feeding and reproductive behavior of the snake were made for the first time in captivity. It consumed live or chopped fish; prey size depended on snake size. Breeding commenced in October and the matured neonates were observed during the following January. Twenty five gravid snakes gave birth to 87 neonates, i.e. 3-5 neonates per snake. During delivery, they exhibited a different type of movement to release the neonates, and all were delivered only at night. All neonates were measured the morphological traits of weight, snout-vent length, tail length, head length, head width, neck girth and body girth. The relative size of females and males differed significantly. But the relative size of tail length showed an opposite trend compared to other morphological traits. At the end of the experiment, the snakes and neonates were released in the open sea.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"75-80"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408783489220","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64920067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408784648808
Dale M. Jefferson, R. W. Russell
Anurans undergo dramatic morphological and physiological changes at metamorphosis, accompanied by shifts in diet and habitat. Frogs provide an ideal model organism for studying ontogenetic shifts in diet due to their biphasic life history and widespread distribution throughout their range. Analysis of stable isotopes of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in green frog tadpoles and adult frogs was used to describe ontogenetic shifts in diet and habitat. Adult and larval green frogs were collected from four wetland locations in Nova Scotia, Canada and analyzed for stable isotopes. Differences in isotopic ratios were observed among tadpoles and adults. Tadpoles from wetlands with high nitrate concentrations exhibited greater δ15N values than adults, while tadpoles from wetlands without N enrichment had lower δ15N values. These enriched nitrogen signatures were probably the result of larval exposure to nitrogenous pollution originating from fertilizers and illustrate the difficulties in using isotope analysis to quantify trophic structure in biphasic organisms occupying dramatically different habitats.
{"title":"Ontogenetic and fertilizer effects on stable isotopes in the green frog (Rana clamitans)","authors":"Dale M. Jefferson, R. W. Russell","doi":"10.1163/157075408784648808","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408784648808","url":null,"abstract":"Anurans undergo dramatic morphological and physiological changes at metamorphosis, accompanied by shifts in diet and habitat. Frogs provide an ideal model organism for studying ontogenetic shifts in diet due to their biphasic life history and widespread distribution throughout their range. Analysis of stable isotopes of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in green frog tadpoles and adult frogs was used to describe ontogenetic shifts in diet and habitat. Adult and larval green frogs were collected from four wetland locations in Nova Scotia, Canada and analyzed for stable isotopes. Differences in isotopic ratios were observed among tadpoles and adults. Tadpoles from wetlands with high nitrate concentrations exhibited greater δ15N values than adults, while tadpoles from wetlands without N enrichment had lower δ15N values. These enriched nitrogen signatures were probably the result of larval exposure to nitrogenous pollution originating from fertilizers and illustrate the difficulties in using isotope analysis to quantify trophic structure in biphasic organisms occupying dramatically different habitats.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"189-196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408784648808","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64920842","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408784648826
E. Arida, Michael C. Bull
Western subspecies of the Australian skink Egernia stokesii are considered endangered and translocation to unoccupied areas of suitable habitat has been proposed as a conservation strategy. We investigated the internal structure of artificial refuges that might induce translocated lizards to remain at the site of release. In a laboratory environment, individual lizards were offered choices of alternative structures as refuges. They preferred deeper and narrower refuge structures, with a single entrance rather than two entrances. They showed a slight tendency to avoid PVC structures when plywood or brick paving alternatives were available. Soft sand or hard brick substrate were equally accepted. The results suggest that the use of brick pavers may be a practical management strategy to provide extra refuges for the lizards, but further trials are needed with a greater range of temperatures that are representative of field conditions.
{"title":"Optimising the design of artificial refuges for the Australian skink, Egernia stokesii","authors":"E. Arida, Michael C. Bull","doi":"10.1163/157075408784648826","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408784648826","url":null,"abstract":"Western subspecies of the Australian skink Egernia stokesii are considered endangered and translocation to unoccupied areas of suitable habitat has been proposed as a conservation strategy. We investigated the internal structure of artificial refuges that might induce translocated lizards to remain at the site of release. In a laboratory environment, individual lizards were offered choices of alternative structures as refuges. They preferred deeper and narrower refuge structures, with a single entrance rather than two entrances. They showed a slight tendency to avoid PVC structures when plywood or brick paving alternatives were available. Soft sand or hard brick substrate were equally accepted. The results suggest that the use of brick pavers may be a practical management strategy to provide extra refuges for the lizards, but further trials are needed with a greater range of temperatures that are representative of field conditions.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"8 1","pages":"161-172"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408784648826","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64921307","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408786532048
B. W. Baker
The emerging field of forensic herpetology is reviewed. This research focus, defined here as the application of science to studies of reptiles and amphibians when these animals become the subject of legal investigations, has gained increasing attention in recent years. A diverse range of experts contributes to methods in forensic herpetology including forensic scientists, herpetologists, veterinarians, zookeepers, physicians, pathologists and toxicologists. The English language literature in forensic herpetology is reviewed and the most commonly asked questions of forensic herpetologists are summarized. Recommendations for continued and future research are highlighted.
{"title":"A brief overview of forensic herpetology","authors":"B. W. Baker","doi":"10.1163/157075408786532048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408786532048","url":null,"abstract":"The emerging field of forensic herpetology is reviewed. This research focus, defined here as the application of science to studies of reptiles and amphibians when these animals become the subject of legal investigations, has gained increasing attention in recent years. A diverse range of experts contributes to methods in forensic herpetology including forensic scientists, herpetologists, veterinarians, zookeepers, physicians, pathologists and toxicologists. The English language literature in forensic herpetology is reviewed and the most commonly asked questions of forensic herpetologists are summarized. Recommendations for continued and future research are highlighted.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"307-318"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408786532048","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64921775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408785911020
E. Grant, L. Bailey, J. Ware, K. Duncan
The amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, responsible for the potentially fatal amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, is known to occur in a large and ever increasing number of amphibian populations around the world. However, sampling has been biased towards stream- and wetland-breeding anurans, with little attention paid to stream-associated salamanders. We sampled three frog and three salamander species in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, Maryland, by swabbing animals for PCR analysis to detect DNA of B. dendrobatidis. Using PCR, we detected B. dendrobatidis DNA in both stream and wetland amphibians, and report here the first occurrence of the pathogen in two species of stream-associated salamanders. Future research should focus on mechanisms within habitats that may affect persistence and dissemination of B. dendrobatidis among stream-associated salamanders
{"title":"Prevalence of the amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in stream and wetland amphibians in Maryland, USA","authors":"E. Grant, L. Bailey, J. Ware, K. Duncan","doi":"10.1163/157075408785911020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408785911020","url":null,"abstract":"The amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, responsible for the potentially fatal amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, is known to occur in a large and ever increasing number of amphibian populations around the world. However, sampling has been biased towards stream- and wetland-breeding anurans, with little attention paid to stream-associated salamanders. We sampled three frog and three salamander species in the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, Maryland, by swabbing animals for PCR analysis to detect DNA of B. dendrobatidis. Using PCR, we detected B. dendrobatidis DNA in both stream and wetland amphibians, and report here the first occurrence of the pathogen in two species of stream-associated salamanders. Future research should focus on mechanisms within habitats that may affect persistence and dissemination of B. dendrobatidis among stream-associated salamanders","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"233-241"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408785911020","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64921060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408786532110
J. Cooper
Post-mortem examination (necropsy) of reptiles and amphibians plays an important part in certain forensic investigations, especially where there is a need for information about the circumstances of death or whether an animal was in poor health, suffered, or was abused during life. Necropsy needs to be carried out properly, following standard protocols and using appropriate equipment. Supporting laboratory tests may be required and it is important that material is maintained, both for production in court and as part of a forensic research and teaching collection.
{"title":"Methods in herpetological forensic work — post-mortem techniques","authors":"J. Cooper","doi":"10.1163/157075408786532110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408786532110","url":null,"abstract":"Post-mortem examination (necropsy) of reptiles and amphibians plays an important part in certain forensic investigations, especially where there is a need for information about the circumstances of death or whether an animal was in poor health, suffered, or was abused during life. Necropsy needs to be carried out properly, following standard protocols and using appropriate equipment. Supporting laboratory tests may be required and it is important that material is maintained, both for production in court and as part of a forensic research and teaching collection.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"351-370"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408786532110","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64921928","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408783489239
Valerie L. Boyarski, J. Savidge, G. Rodda
We examined three classes of factors that may influence brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) trappability on Guam: (1) attributes of the snake, (2) attributes of the environment and (3) attributes of the trap. The attributes of the snake we considered included body condition, length and sex. Heavier snakes for a given size (better body condition) moved less and were less easily trapped. Longer snakes were easier to trap. Males were also slightly more easily trapped than females. We compared brown treesnake trappability between two study sites that differed greatly in the abundance of diurnal skinks, an important prey item for smaller snakes. We predicted that snakes, especially small individuals (<800 mm snout-vent length), would be more easily trapped in the low prey environment, a result that received only weak support from our data. However, small snakes were rarely trapped under any circumstance. We also predicted that diurnal foraging would be observed in the site with a higher density of diurnal prey, but daytime snake captures were negligible at both sites. Two attributes of traps that we varied were attractant (mouse vs. skink) and entrance flaps (present vs. absent). Traps with mice as attractant registered 6-16 fold more snake captures. We found little influence of entrances on captures. These modulators of brown treesnake trappability may have analogues in a variety of species, especially species that undergo an ontogenetic shift in diet.
{"title":"Brown treesnake ( Boiga irregularis ) trappability: Attributes of the snake, environment and trap","authors":"Valerie L. Boyarski, J. Savidge, G. Rodda","doi":"10.1163/157075408783489239","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408783489239","url":null,"abstract":"We examined three classes of factors that may influence brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) trappability on Guam: (1) attributes of the snake, (2) attributes of the environment and (3) attributes of the trap. The attributes of the snake we considered included body condition, length and sex. Heavier snakes for a given size (better body condition) moved less and were less easily trapped. Longer snakes were easier to trap. Males were also slightly more easily trapped than females. We compared brown treesnake trappability between two study sites that differed greatly in the abundance of diurnal skinks, an important prey item for smaller snakes. We predicted that snakes, especially small individuals (<800 mm snout-vent length), would be more easily trapped in the low prey environment, a result that received only weak support from our data. However, small snakes were rarely trapped under any circumstance. We also predicted that diurnal foraging would be observed in the site with a higher density of diurnal prey, but daytime snake captures were negligible at both sites. Two attributes of traps that we varied were attractant (mouse vs. skink) and entrance flaps (present vs. absent). Traps with mice as attractant registered 6-16 fold more snake captures. We found little influence of entrances on captures. These modulators of brown treesnake trappability may have analogues in a variety of species, especially species that undergo an ontogenetic shift in diet.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"5 1","pages":"47-61"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408783489239","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64920347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2008-01-01DOI: 10.1163/157075408784648781
G. Masterson, B. Maritz, G. Alexander
Fire is a frequent feature of African grasslands and is commonly used in the management of conservation areas. We studied the herpetofaunal richness and composition of 10 sites to determine the effects of a 30-year fire management regime on the herpetofaunal assemblage in a reserve in South Africa. We trapped amphibians and reptiles during March and April 2004 at 10 sites with different fire histories. Sites of different post-fire ages were compared for differences in their species richness. We also measured the vegetation cover and vegetation height i.e. the vegetation structure at each of the sites surveyed. We found no significant effects of fire history on the species richness or composition of each site. Species composition at each site was better explained by post-fire age than by vegetation structure. There was a tight correlation between the vegetation cover of a site and its species richness, as well as a significant effect of vegetation structure on the similarity of the species found at each site. Vegetation structure appears to be the key factor affecting the structure of herpetofaunal assemblages in grasslands of South Africa, with fire and prescribed burning impacting on the assemblages via its effect on the vegetation.
{"title":"Effect of fire history and vegetation structure on herpetofauna in a South African grassland","authors":"G. Masterson, B. Maritz, G. Alexander","doi":"10.1163/157075408784648781","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/157075408784648781","url":null,"abstract":"Fire is a frequent feature of African grasslands and is commonly used in the management of conservation areas. We studied the herpetofaunal richness and composition of 10 sites to determine the effects of a 30-year fire management regime on the herpetofaunal assemblage in a reserve in South Africa. We trapped amphibians and reptiles during March and April 2004 at 10 sites with different fire histories. Sites of different post-fire ages were compared for differences in their species richness. We also measured the vegetation cover and vegetation height i.e. the vegetation structure at each of the sites surveyed. We found no significant effects of fire history on the species richness or composition of each site. Species composition at each site was better explained by post-fire age than by vegetation structure. There was a tight correlation between the vegetation cover of a site and its species richness, as well as a significant effect of vegetation structure on the similarity of the species found at each site. Vegetation structure appears to be the key factor affecting the structure of herpetofaunal assemblages in grasslands of South Africa, with fire and prescribed burning impacting on the assemblages via its effect on the vegetation.","PeriodicalId":55499,"journal":{"name":"Applied Herpetology","volume":"6 3 1","pages":"129-143"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2008-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/157075408784648781","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"64920501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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