Ongoing Field Work at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge  (2/5/01)

Amphibian monitoring sites have been established at sixteen sites within the Refuge. These "intensive" monitoring sites were placed in the six major plant communities within the Okefenokee Swamp: forested wetlands; shrub wetlands; wet prairies; pine flatwoods; lakes; and ponds (click the images to view the different community types).

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Each intensive monitoring site contains a 50m x 50m sampling plot, the precise location of which has been mapped with a Global Positioning System (GPS).  Some of the sites contain environmental data loggers that automatically record environmental conditions such as air temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure.

The sampling plots also contain two types of permanent "passive" traps: cover boards and PVC pipes.  Coverboards are small sections of plywood that are placed directly on the ground.  The environment beneath the boards typically remains cool and moist, providing ideal habitat for terrestrial salamanders and burrowing species of frogs.  Checking these traps involves simply lifting the board periodically and looking for amphibians.  Short sections of PVC pipes placed in the ground or hung on trees are a simple method for finding some species of treefrogs.  The frogs enter the pipes seeking shelter from the elements.

The intensive monitoring sites will be visited four times a year (winter, spring, summer, and fall). Passive traps will be checked at each visit and active sampling methods such as visual encounter, seining and trapping for aquatic amphibians will take place.

In addition to the intensive sampling at the sixteen sites described above, general "extensive" surveys will be conducted monthly at many different locations.  During general surveys, researchers will use a variety of techniques to locate amphibians including searching under natural cover objects such as logs and listening for calling frogs at night.

SITE SETUP & SPECIES ENCOUNTERED



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