Inventory and Monitoring fo Herpetological Communities on the Kennedy Space Center/Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge/Canaveral National Seashore

摘要

Reptiles and amphibians are important yet often ignored components of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (Gibbons, 1988; Vitt et al., 1990). Because of their ectothermic physiology, amphibians and reptiles have extremely low energy requirements, and, consequently, may have a biomass that exceeds that of nearly all other vertebrates in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (Bennett and Gonnan 1979; Burton and Likens, 1975; Bury et al., 1980; Pough, 1980; Bury, 1988; Gibbons, 1988; Vitt et al., 1990). Both groups are excellent indicator species of environmental degradation, amphibians because of their complex life cycle and permeable skin, and reptiles because of their frequent position as top carnivores (Duellman and Trueb, 1986; Gibbons, 1988; Vitt et al, 1990). Amphibians and reptiles also have a surprisingly high economic potential; minimum wholesale values have been estimated at over $35 million per year in Louisiana alone (Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries, 1992), and the value of amphibians and reptiles imported into the U. S. exceeds $400 million annually (Scott and Seigel, 1992).