Herpetofauna of lowland bottomlands of southeastern Arizona: a comparison of sites
This article is part of a larger document. View the larger document here.Abstract
We intensively sampled the riparian herpetofauna at three sites in southeastern Arizona, a canyon site, Leslie Canyon, and two lowland sites, San Bernardino NWR and Empire-Ci¨¦nega Creek at Las Ci¨¦negas National Conservation Area. We also compiled a list of herpetofaunal records for the original lowland riparian area at Tucson using museum records. The herpetofaunas of the three lowland sites are more similar to one another than they were to the Leslie Canyon assemblage, and, collectively, the lowland riparian system may support the richest herpetofauna in the Southwest, at least when ¦Á-diversity is considered. A number of species not generally considered to be riparian species are well represented and in some cases locally restricted to the riparian environment. Although this environment supports (or supported) a high proportion of the most threatened vertebrate taxa in the region, conservation plans have not correspondingly focused on it, and its degradation continues in many areas.