Monitoring Diversity and Habitat Use

A monitoring study using artificial refuges (cover boards) was started in June 2002 after initial use of the boards to measure snake diversity around the south end of Perry Pond by a vertebrate natural history class.

Objectives
The objectives of the current monitoring system are to create a species list and estimate species abundances in four habitat types: mesic, lowland tallgrass prairie, alluvial woodland, old pasture/oak savanna, and dry, upland tallgrass prairie.

Methods
Four transects of 8-9 cover boards, each cover board 3-5 m apart, were placed by Perry Pond (mesic, lowland tallgrass prairie), along Willow Creek (alluvial woodland), in South Slope Savanna (old pasture/oak savanna), and in Wilson Prairie (dry, upland tallgrass prairie) in late June 2002. The cover boards are 2'x 4', ¼" thick chipboards, each with a number spray painted on one side and a pin flag with the number next to the board. The boards are checked periodically between April and September each year.

Data collected

  • Observation Date
  • Air Temp
  • Weather Conditions
  • Species
  • Length
  • Adult/Juvenile (based on lengths reported in literature)
  • Notes-such as presence of ants, mice, snake skins, etc.

Data availability
Contact the CERA Manager for data available as an Excel file.