Preliminary Assessment of Herpetofauna Communities in Restored Wetlands in Western Kentucky

Wetlands perform many critical ecosystem services and support a diverse array of aquatic and terrestrial communities. Wetlands have suffered significant losses globally, with the US and Kentucky seeing reductions in wetland area over 50% and 80% respectively. The Wetland Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP) has been used to restore wetlands to mitigate these losses. Restoration of wetlands is a boon for many wetland species, particularly herpetofauna. Our primary objective is to quantify amphibian and reptile diversity in WREP and other wetlands within the Jackson Purchase. Study sites include WREP easements of various restoration ages, reference wetlands (historic bottomland forests), as well as control (cropland) wetlands. We are employing multiple methods to assess amphibian and reptile diversity in our study wetlands including timed-constrained dipnet surveys, acoustic recorders, hoop nets, and aquatic minnow traps. In the first year of the study, we captured 2563 amphibians and 564 turtles, representing 14 and 8 species respectively. Preliminary analyses suggest that amphibian richness does not vary among the three wetland types. WREP and reference wetlands both supported higher levels of species richness for turtles than control wetlands. Continued monitoring may reveal trends in diversity as these sites age and change over time. This study will add to our knowledge base regarding wetland restoration, and provide managers with important data to inform future restoration initiatives for herpetofauna and other wildlife