Which Methods Are Most Effective for Surveying Rain Forest Herpetofauna?

Abstract

Although several investigators have discussed different herpetofaunal sampling methodologies and their effectiveness, few have quantitatively examined which methods are superior for inventorying reptiles and amphibians in rain forest habitats. I examined two years of data from Tambopata, southeastern Peru, to compare and contrast visual encounter survey (VES) and quadrat methodologies and to determine which method yields the highest number of individuals and species per sampling effort. Four separate questions were posed concerning the number of captures for short-term surveys, long-term surveys, arboreal versus terrestrial amphibian surveys, and particular taxonomic group surveys. Over most of the analyses, more individuals and species of amphibians and reptiles were captured using VES than quadrats. In addition, more unique species were recorded with VES. However, particular microhabitats and taxonomic groups were better sampled with quadrats. In long-term surveys, the methods were equivalent with respect to number of individuals and species captured. This study provides quantitative data on the efficacy of the two methods and describes, for the first time, the particular instances in which the different methods are best suited for sampling rain forest herpetofauna.