HISTORICAL TRENDS AND PERCEPTIONS OF AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE DIVERSITY IN THE WESTERN PIEDMONT OF NORTH CAROLINA

Reptile and amphibian population declines are often indicative of the effects of habitat destruction and deterioration. This study analyzed historical and current amphibian and reptile species diversity in the Charlotte-Metro area of North Carolina's western Piedmont, an area that has recently undergone extensive development. Since 1879, 57 species of amphibians and reptiles have been recorded in Iredell and Mecklenburg Counties. Until we initiated surveys in 1998, the number of species recorded per year decreased steadily in the region since the early 1980s. Thirty-eight (67%) of the 57 recorded species have been verified as present between 1998 and 2000, 30 of which were observed on the Davidson College campus. Using multiple-technique sampling in 1998–2000, we found higher species diversity and higher numbers of amphibians and reptiles than in any single year prior to 1998. We attribute this difference to our sampling regime, which provided a better estimate of diversity than the traditional dependence on incidental encounters. Although we have documented the persistence of high herpetofaunal diversity, insufficient historical data from Iredell and Mecklenburg Counties preclude definitive comment of any amphibian and reptile declines. Long-term, intensive monitoring is needed to determine the status of these regional herpetofaunal populations.