Methods for assessing terrestrial herpetofauna have included pitfall traps, time- and area-constrained searches, and, recently, artificial cover objects. As part of a study of the response of terrestrial vertebrates to prescribed burning in oak (Quercus spp.) woodland, we placed 136 plywood coverboards each on 9,5.8-ha study plots in oak woodland at Camp Roberts in northern San Luis Obispo County, California Boards were monitored every 7-10 days during February through April of 1995 and 1996. During this period, we recorded 2,658 encounters of 15 to 17 species of amphibians, lizards, and snakes during 33,728 coverboard checks: 4 or 5 species of amphibians, 5 or 6 lizards, and 6 snake species. About half (15 to 17 of 31) of herpetofaunal species predicted to occur in San Luis Obispo County by the California Wildlife-Habitat Relationships (WHR) system were observed under coverboards. Coverboards sampled proportionately, but not significantly (P > 0.05), more species (15 to 17 of 31) in San Luis Obispo County than either timed searches (5 of 25) or pitfall arrays (8 of 25) sampled in oak woodlands in Madera County. A notably higher proportion of snakes was sampled by coverboards (6 of 14) than by timed searches (1 of 12) or pitfalls (0 of 12). Encounter rate was higher (P < 0.001) for coverboards (7.9%) than pitfalls (1.0%). A detected species assemblage comparable with that of other herpetofaunal sampling techniques, low cost of materials, low maintenance, short operation time, and low risk of injury to encountered amphibians and reptiles suggest that coverboards may be a technique worth consideration for sampling herpetofauna in oak woodlands.
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