Houston ChandlerViews:
As 2024 comes to a close, I am going to take a look back at some of the highlights from the Science Initiative’s year spent researching reptiles and amphibians. During 2024, we finished several projects, continued others that we have been working on for several years, and also started some new projects. We also spent time compiling and sharing the results of our research at conferences and talking to interested groups about the work that we do. One of the biggest changes in the Science Initiative in 2024 was hiring Andrea Colton as an Associate Conservation Scientist in July. She will lead some of our turtle projects in the coming years.
It was also a year of change for me, as my wife and I welcomed our second child. We also moved from Blacksburg, Virginia, to Athens, Georgia, to be closer to family and to many of our ongoing projects. I am excited to be back in Georgia and look forward to more opportunities to get out in the field. Being near the University of Georgia also provides new opportunities to collaborate with researchers working on a variety of species and conservation projects.
Research Projects
Our research efforts this year saw us work on a variety of species, including Eastern Indigo Snakes, Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders, Spotted Turtles, Gopher Tortoises, and Eastern Box Turtles. We also worked on projects doing general reptile and amphibian surveys to measure diversity at specific locations. Below are some of the highlights from our research efforts during 2024.
Indigo Snake Surveys in Southern Georgia
Our longest-running project is the annual effort to monitor Eastern Indigo Snake populations across southern Georgia. We sample approximately 60 sites on a 3-year rotation. During the 2023–2024 indigo snake season, we surveyed 20 sites, visiting each one three times. On each survey, we visually search for indigo snakes and signs of indigo snake presence (shed skins or snake tracks). We recorded a total of 23 observations of indigo snakes and 16 observations of shed skins across 60 surveys last season. One of the best observations was a hatchling indigo snake. Juvenile indigo snakes are rarely observed, and it is always nice to confirm successful recruitment in wild populations. Overall, indigo snake surveys continue to be somewhat hit or miss, with populations appearing to do well with appropriate habitat management. However, there are some indications that poor management is taking a toll in some parts of the state. Last month, we kicked off the 2024–2025 indigo snake survey season and will be sampling a different set of 20 sites over the next several months. It has already been an exciting season with observations of an exceptionally large male snake and an indigo snake egg at the mouth of a tortoise burrow. Ultimately, we plan to continue our long-term monitoring efforts for indigo snakes to provide an up-to-date picture of the species’ status in Georgia.
Indigo Snake eDNA
One of the projects that we wrapped up during 2024 was a field survey to test the efficacy of using Environmental DNA to detect Eastern Indigo Snakes. Environmental DNA (eDNA) has become a widespread survey tool in wildlife conservation. When animals move through their environments, they typically leave DNA behind. The technique has been widely applied in aquatic environments and is now transitioning to terrestrial use. We tested the technique with indigo snakes by collecting soil samples at two sites (Fort Stewart in Georgia and Conecuh National Forest in Alabama). Partners collected additional samples from a 3rd site (Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines in Florida). In total, we collected 220 samples, which were all sent to partners at the Rocky Mountain Research Station for testing. The preliminary results indicate that it is possible to detect indigo snake DNA in soil samples collected in the field. We are currently finishing the analysis portion of this project and will soon publish the final results.
Reptile and Amphibian Diversity of Department of Defense Lands
We worked on two projects this year conducting inventory surveys for reptiles and amphibians on Department of Defense (DoD) properties in southern Georgia. These projects had a focus on Gopher Tortoises and Eastern Diamond-backed Rattlesnakes but also allowed us to sample herpetofaunal communities more broadly. We spend a lot of time searching for rare and cryptic species so it’s always a nice change of pace when some of the more common species provide good data points. We also get to deploy the entire range of herpetofaunal survey techniques, including drift fences, aquatic turtle traps, dipnetting surveys, visual encounter surveys, line transect surveys for tortoises, and more. Ultimately, providing DoD partners with an accurate and up to date species list allows natural resource managers to make better decisions about how to manage herpetofaunal communities on these important conservation lands.
Monitoring Ephemeral Wetland Hydrology
One of our new projects focuses on monitoring the hydrology of ephemeral wetlands used by Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders. At sites in both Georgia and northern Florida, we installed hydrologic monitoring wells in wetlands with varying vegetation characteristics. These data loggers record a pressure measurement every 15 minutes, which can then be converted into a measurement of water depth. The best part about these data loggers is that they need minimal follow-up work after they have been installed. The data need to be downloaded only occasionally, roughly every 3 months. This project will continue into 2025, and we plan to ultimately use these water level data to make inferences about the effects of vegetation and management on wetland hydrology. Breeding wetland hydrology is one of the most important processes that impacts the success of flatwoods salamander populations.
Spotted Turtle Surveys in 3 States
One of the most exciting projects that we started working on in 2024 was a multi-state effort to better understand Spotted Turtle populations at the southern end of their distribution. This project is being funded by a large Competitive State Wildlife Grant and sees us collaborating with partners from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. During 2024, we did some initial surveys at long-term monitoring sites in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. We caught many turtles that had been marked in previous years, including the individual below who was originally marked by turtle biologist Dr. Jackie Litzgus over 20 years ago. Spotted Turtles have a lifespan that spans decades, and it is always a special occasion to see one of these old turtles. Over the next two years, we will sample for Spotted Turtles at sites across Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Our primary goals are to better understand population dynamics at long-term monitoring sites, document populations at new sites, and to improve survey techniques for Spotted Turtles in the southeast.
GPS Telemetry with Eastern Box Turtles
Another new project started in 2024 will allow us to deploy GPS transmitters onto Eastern Box Turtles inhabiting longleaf pine forests and adjacent habitats. During standard radio telemetry projects, observers must be in the field to manually locate study animals (usually only a few times a week at most). However, using GPS transmitters allows us to collect locations of study animals many times a day without an observer being needed in the field. These new technologies (GPS transmitters are just getting small enough to attach to herpetofauna) allow us to gain a much more in depth look at an animal’s habitat use and movement. We have made initial site visits for this project and purchased transmitters to deploy onto turtles. We plan to start monitoring box turtles in early 2025.
Presentations and Publications
One of the most important aspects of the work that we do is sharing that work with other scientists, managers, and the general public in a variety of formats. Without this effort, the results of our conservation research would not be available to actually benefit the species that we work on.
We made presentations at several scientific meetings during 2024. In late February, Ben, Peyton, and I attended the annual Southeastern Partners for Amphibian and Reptile Conservation meeting in Nauvoo, Alabama. I gave a presentation covering the long-term research and monitoring projects for Reticulated Flatwoods Salamanders on Eglin Air Force Base. Ben and Peyton presented a poster about our ongoing work sampling for indigo snakes with eDNA. Later in the spring, I attended the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Herpetology Taxon Advisory Group meeting in Norfolk, Virginia. At this meeting, I gave presentations discussing both flatwoods salamander and Spotted Turtle conservation. In October, I was invited to attend The Wildlife Society’s annual conference to present in a special session focusing on herpetofaunal health (particularly disease and management). I discussed some of our Snake Fungal Disease sampling in indigo snake populations. Finally, I attended the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual meeting in Augusta, Georgia to talk about our work with Spotted Turtles.
We also had some other opportunities to talk to groups about our work. I was invited to give a research seminar to Georgia Southern University’s Department of Biology at the beginning of November. Ben, Andrea, and I also spoke to a group of fellows enrolled in the National Science Foundation’s Research and Mentoring for Postbaccalaureates (RaMP) in Biological Sciences program. These RaMP fellows later had the opportunity to spend a day in the field with us on the Longleaf Stewardship Center.
During 2024, we had four manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals. These papers covered a range of topics, including wetland conservation, Spotted Turtle survey results, 10 guiding principles for herpetofauna conservation, and the effects of climate change on flatwoods salamander phenology. All of the manuscripts that we have published are available on our website.
Small Grants for Graduate Students
I wrote last month about our Small Grant Program, which offers grants to graduate students in the southeast pursuing research on reptile and amphibian conservation or management. During 2024, we supported five student projects and solicited applications for this year’s awards, which we plan to make decisions on before the end of the year. Supporting research of early career professionals has been one of the most rewarding aspects of our Science Initiative in recent years.
Looking ahead to 2025
There are many reasons to be excited about the work coming in 2025. We will continue several of the projects discussed above and also start some new projects. This includes a multi-year assessment of herpetofaunal communities using wetlands embedded within private working forests (i.e., lands managed primarily for timber production). We will also start working on a large collaborative project to support ongoing efforts to reintroduce indigo snakes into western Florida and Alabama. Finally, we are starting a Department of Defense funded project aimed at understanding some of the effects of climate change on Spotted Turtles by monitoring the conditions within turtle nests. Spotted Turtles, like many other turtle species, undergo temperature dependent sex determination. Changes in environmental conditions could have large impacts on how populations function.
We are looking forward to another busy year working with charismatic reptiles and amphibians. We will continue to provide occasional updates about ongoing Science Initiative projects. You are always welcome to reach out if you have questions about any of the work that we do.
