| I compared the cost, time, and sampling effectiveness of aural surveys, basking surveys, time-constrained surveys, cover boards, road surveys, and pitfall trap arrays at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (CHNWR) from May 1998--August 2000. The objectives of my study were to (1) inventory amphibians and reptiles; (2) compare species richness and relative abundance of herpetofauna at CHNWR; (3) compare the cost and effectiveness of sampling techniques; and (4) develop a long-term monitoring protocol for amphibians and reptiles at CHNWR.;I found a significant effect (p = 0.016) among techniques for the number of species detected. I compared 6 techniques using the Shannon-Weaver species diversity index and found that road surveys had the highest species diversity (Hi = 1.914). Pitfall trap arrays were the most expensive technique (... |
