National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Cumberland Island NS Inventory & Monitoring Program Southeast Coast Network Athens, GA Resource Brief: Amphibian Community Monitoring, 2009 Vital Sign Amphibian communities of the Southeast Coast Network (SECN) are monitored because of their Overview global importance as ecological indicators, documented population declines and extinctions, and their high level of diversity in the Southeast. With an estimated 140 amphibian species, the Southeast accounts for about half of the total number of amphibians in the U.S. The SECN has 61 known amphibian species: 26 in Caudata (salamanders, newts, amphiumas, sirens), and 35 in Anura (frogs and toads). Because of their complex life histories, habitat requirements, anatomy, and physiology, amphibians are considered to be good indicators of changes in ecosystem conditions as they are affected by climate change, land use development and conversion, contaminants, and changes in hydrology. Significant We found 11 native amphibian species, the overall Three of the reptiles detected were the first recorded Findings monitoring effort adequately characterized species occurrences at the park and additions to the species richness, and the sample was not dominated by any list: Southern water snake, banded water snake, and one species. pine woods snake. No non-native amphibians or reptiles were detected. Green treefrog and squirrel treefrog were the most widely distributed amphibians at the park. Two of the amphibians detected were the first recorded occurrences at the park and additions to the Vegetation- and bird-community data were also species list: Cope’s gray treefrog and Southern chorus collected at all locations sampled; those results are frog. Both species were visually identified. forthcoming. Sampling Effort Data were collected at 30 spatially-balanced random locations at the park with two techniques, automated recording devices and visual-encounter surveys, during April, September and October. The entire park was sampled as part of this effort, except the salt marshes which, while critical habitat for many other species, do not host amphibians. The locations sampled included a wide variety of vegetation communities and amphibian habitat types. Temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation prior to and during monitoring activities were considered average. We detected 1240 amphibians in 14 species, genera, families, or orders, and 452 reptiles and reptile signs in 13 species, genera, families, or orders. This monitoring protocol is on a three-year cycle and will be implemented again at the park in 2012. Monitoring Determining the species that are present at a site can monitoring these species can be challenging. Often Techniques provide a great deal of insight to the condtion of that times, personnel need to work through the night and location. Surveying for an elusive species, however, this not only presents several safety concerns but also can be challenging and just because it is not detected can be expensive. The ARD was deployed ten days during the first visit cannot be interpreted as whether it and programmed to record at specific intervals is truly present or absent from a site. Further, weather throughout the evening, night, and morning; times variables such as temperature, precipitation, and when we know the Anurans are most likely to call. humidity play a crucial role in whether or not an When viewed in specialized software, Anuran calls Anuran will call. Therefore, a comprehensive display unique patterns that can be indentifed through approach is necessary to ensure a site is adequately an automated process. A VES is a time-constrained characterized. survey where the site is manually searched for amphibians (particularly species that do not vocalize Two techniques are used to monitor amphibians, an like salamanders), including thoughout the vegetation, automated recording device (ARD) and a visual- under logs, leaves, rocks, and other cover objects. The encounter survey (VES). Since most vocal Anurans VES were conducted once at each sample site. Each (i.e., frogs and toads that vocalize) call at night, sample site is 0.5ha (~ 1acre). About the The Southeast Coast Network (SECN) includes national memorials, seven national monuments, two Southeast Coast twenty parks, seventeen of which contain significant national military parks, as well as a national recreation Network and diverse natural resources. In total, SECN parks area, national battlefield and an ecological and historic encompass more than 184,000 acres of federally- preserve. The parks range in size from slightly more managed land across North Carolina, South Carolina, than 20 to nearly 60,000 acres, and when considered Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. The parks span a with non-federal lands jointly managed with NPS, the wide diversity of cultural missions also, including four Network encompasses more than 253,000 acres. national seashores, two national historic sites, two About the In 1999, the National Park Service initiated a long- five goals for all parks with significant natural Inventory & term ecological monitoring program, known as “Vital resources: Monitoring Signs Monitoring”, to provide the minimum § Determine the status and trends in selected Program infrastructure to allow more than 270 national park indicators of the condition of park ecosystem, system units to identify and implement long-term monitoring of their highest-priority measurements of § Provide early warning of abnormal conditions, resource condition. The overarching purpose of natural resource monitoring in parks is to develop § Provide data to better understand the dynamic scientifically sound information on the current status nature and condition of park ecosystems, and long-term trends in the composition, structure, and function of park ecosystems, and to determine how § Provide data to meet certain legal and well current management practices are sustaining Congressional mandates, and those ecosystems. § Provide a means of measuring progress towards The NPS Vital Signs Monitoring Program addresses performance goals. For More SECN Home Page: http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/secn/index.cfm Information SECN Reports & Publications: http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/SECN/reports.cfm Inventory & Monitoring Program: http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/index.cfm Data Downloads via the Natural Resource Informatin Portal: http://nrinfo.nps.gov/Home.mvc Follow us on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/SECoastNetwkNPS or @SECoastNetwkNPS .