Riparian-Zone Amphibians and Reptiles Within the Broad River Basin of South Carolina

Abstract

An inventory of the Broad River Basin in South Carolina documented distribution and species richness of amphibians and reptiles of the area, focusing primarily on riparian zones. A list of 92 potentially occurring species was assembled for the area. Multiple survey methods were used including active searches, manual anuran calling surveys, and turtle trapping to document the herpetofauna. Using these techniques, 14 anuran, 9 salamander, 7 lizard, 16 snake, and 8 turtle species were documented. Seven of these species were of conservation concern in South Carolina. The Broad River Basin supports a diverse array of amphibian and reptile species associated with both wetland and riverine habitats. As water resources, energy demand, and urbanization continue to increase in the Piedmont region, these baseline data have important implications for conservation and future land management.