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Herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) are an important component of forest ecosystems because they compose a large portion of biomass and are indicators of environmental quality. This study examined the effects of prescribed fire and thinning on herpetofauna communities in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina. Researchers captured 40 species of reptiles and amphibians. Most of the individuals were lizards (47.7%), followed by frogs and toads (25.7%), snakes (13.7%), salamanders (9.2%) and turtles (4.6%). There were no significant treatment effects on abundance of species. Some treatments were significant for individual species. The availability of wetland breeding habitat adjacent to certain plots impacted herpetofauna numbers more than thinning or burning. For the most part, the amphibian population was made up of species not characteristically found in upland pine plantations.
Cataloging Information
- amphibians
- FFS - Fire and Fire Surrogate Study
- fuel treatments
- Piedmont
- reptiles
- thinning
- wildlife
- 99-S-01