Abstract
Reptiles and amphibians are commonly used indicator species in wetlands because of their increased sensitivity to environmental conditions and use of both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Herpetofauna can reflect wetland ecological functionality through their community composition and responsiveness to environmental stressors. This study evaluated reptile and amphibian communities in natural and ACEP-WRE wetlands within the Red River Watershed of northeastern Texas and Northwestern Louisiana to assess whether restored wetlands support herpetofaunal assemblages compares to their natural counterparts. Fifteen wetlands were surveyed from February to June 2024 using visual encounter surveys, call surveys, and standardized trapping methods to document species richness and community patterns. Multivariate analyses revealed that geographic location, rather than wetland type, was the primary driver of herpetofaunal community composition, likely due to geographical differenced and proximity between different wetland types.
Date of publication
Summer 7-31-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4877
Committee members
Dr. Lance Williams, Marsha Williams, and Dr. Ryan Shartau
Degree
Masters of Science in Biology
Recommended Citation
Rodriguez-Edwards, Shelby, "USING HERPETOFAUNA TO DETERMINE WETLAND HEALTH AND FUNCTION IN THE RED RIVER WATERSHED" (2025). Biology Theses. Paper 89.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4877