Meeting Abstract

P3-91   -   Use of natural surface roadways by Florida Scrub herpetofauna Tevs, DR*; McBrayer, LD; Georgia Southern University; Georgia Southern University dt09463@georgiasouthern.edu

Natural surface roadways may mimic some recently disturbed landscapes, and thus provide alternative habitat for disturbance dependent organisms. Here we explore how roadway characteristics influence the abundance of herpetofauna along natural surface roadways in the Ocala National Forest. Early successional habitat conditions along roadways may enable occupation of road corridors in otherwise unsuitable large mature stands of sand pine. To this end, herpetofauna visual encounter surveys were conducted along natural surface roadways intersecting six different habitat categories of Florida Scrub habitat defined by stand age and type along either side of the roadway (e.g., Long Leaf Pine, early successional Sand Pine Scrub, mature Sand Pine Scrub, and all combinations thereof). Roadway characteristics (e.g., width and orientation to the sun), as well as microhabitat conditions (e.g., vegetation structure, substrate, and thermal conditions) of the adjacent habitat were also categorized to draw correlations with herpetofauna abundance. Preliminary data show no significant variation for any species among different habitat categories, suggesting natural surface roadways facilitate occupation of mature Sand Pine Scrub habitat by early successional species. Further surveys will take place in the summer of 2022 to bolster sample sizes within each category.