EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THREE SURVEY METHODS FOR SAMPLING TERRESTRIAL HERPETOFAUNA IN SOUTH CHINA

Southeast Asia exhibits high herpetofaunal biodiversity, yet many areas and taxa in the region remain understudied. Extensive surveys are needed to fill information gaps, yet at present we have little knowledge about the effectiveness of different herpetofaunal survey methods in the region. We conducted field studies to examine the effectiveness of three survey methods for sampling terrestrial amphibians and reptiles in Hong Kong. Transect surveys were the most effective at sampling species richness and drift fences with pitfall traps and funnel traps were the most efficient in capturing high numbers of reptiles. We recommend the use of transect surveys for rapid biodiversity assessment and the combination of transect surveys and pitfall traps for comprehensive species inventories. Pitfall traps represent an excellent tool for surveys or population monitoring of leaf litter species. The results of this study will aid researchers in assessing the feasibility of and in choosing herpetofaunal survey methods in Southeast Asia.