Help Us Document Priority Reptile and Amphibian Species in the Trans-Pecos

Twenty-one amphibian and reptile SGCN (Species of Greatest Conservation Need) occur in the portion of west Texas (Trans-Pecos) that encompasses TPWD District 1. The geographic immensity and remote nature of this region, its high biodiversity, and endemism stand in contrast to our relatively poor knowledge of its amphibian and reptile SGCN. Although the Texas Conservation Action Plan list of reptile and amphibian SGCN is lengthy, we have little current information for most species and our knowledge is largely limited to published accounts and range maps. Historically, the isolation and low population density of this region has likely served to buffer SGCN from threats occurring elsewhere. However, the recent boom in energy development and resulting urbanization and infrastructure expansion has dissolved this buffer and current information on the distribution and status of reptile and amphibian SGCN in this region is sorely needed. A primary objective of this effort is to obtain new or updated occurrence data for a target list of amphibian and reptile SGCN occurring in the Trans-Pecos of Texas.
Rapid innovation of digital imagery coupled with data collection tools (GPS) has the benefit of documenting species occurrence through relatively quick, non-disruptive/non-destructive means. Online data repositories, maintained and curated by local, regional, and national taxonomic experts, provide a means to upload, vet, and curate collected observational data. In 2013, TPWD, in collaboration with Texas A&M University and the University of Texas, launched the online Herps of Texas project through iNaturalist. Since its inception, that project has collected several thousand new amphibian and reptile locality records from the general public, academic researchers, non-governmental organization staff, and government personnel. Of those thousands of records, several hundred represent new locality records for several of Texas’ amphibian and reptile SGCN that have since been incorporated into the Texas Natural Diversity Database. Application of this technology to a remote and historically under-surveyed region of Texas has the potential to rapidly document new or updated occurrences of target reptile and amphibian SGCN. A list of target taxa can be found here:
http://www.inaturalist.org/lists/175135-SGCN-Herps-of-the-Trans-Pecos

Posted on February 2, 2015 07:30 PM by andygluesenkamp