Herpetofaunal community structure and habitat associations at Buckhorn and Sicily Island Hills Wildlife Management areas in northeast Louisiana.

摘要

Baseline studies provide valuable information for long-term monitoring and sound land management. Several transects (500 m) were marked in two wildlife management areas, and visual encounter surveys (VES), coverboard surveys, drift fence surveys with funnel traps were conducted along them, and anuran call surveys were conducted at points independent of the transects. Surveys conducted from April 2003 through November 2004 resulted in 44 species at BHWMA and 40 species at SIHWMA. Simpson's diversity and evenness was higher for VES (Cinv = 6.50, E = 0.28) than drift fence surveys (Cinv = 2.87, E = 0.11) at BHWMA and higher for drift fence surveys (Cinv = 5.22, E = 0.28) than for VES (Cinv = 2.69, E = 0.112) at SIHWMA. No significant negative effects of timber treatment applications were found at either area. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of drift fence surveys and VES revealed little definitive information regarding habitat associations.