IVB | Coleção de Repteis do Projeto Biota Rio Herpetofauna de Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Study Extent

The Instituto Vital Brazil houses a campus in the São Lourenço district of Nova Friburgo, with a forested area of 3,600 ha and an altitude of 1,000 m in a valley surrounded by the mountains of Três Picos State Park (PETP) that reach over 2,000 m (Moreira et al. 2002) (Figure 1). The district of São Lourenço is a suitable area for herpetofauna surveys in higher altitude areas due to the conservation of its vegetation cover, which is surrounded by cattle ranches. The phytophysiognomies consist of Dense Montana Ombrophilous Forest with large trees and uniform canopy (500 – 1500 m), a Dense Alto Montana Ombrophylous Forest with medium-sized trees and uniform canopy (1,500 - 1,800 m) and a high altitude field environment, with rocky outcrops, grasses up and small trees (> 1,800 m)

Sampling

Fieldwork sampling in the São Lourenço district of Nova Friburgo occurred between May 2015 and February 2016, with one field expedition during the dry season (22nd to 31st May 2015), and two during the rainy season (6th to 16th October 2015 and 19th to 29th October 2016). We conducted ten sampling days on each expedition, covering altitudes between 1,100 and 1,400 m. We set up the area into four inventory sampling plots (SP) of 60m x 25m (1,500 m²), at least 400 m apart from each other. We applied for the Rapid Assessment Program with a team of six researchers, and we sampled using the time-limited visual encounter survey (VES), trapping and falling traps (Pitfalls traps) with drift fence, occasional encounter (OE) and third-party collection (TC). We also sampled amphibians in breeding sites (e.g. swamps, streams, pools). We installed pitfalls consisting of two sets of four buckets of 100 l spaced 5 m apart in each plot. The drift fences were interconnected by a 1 m high black plastic canvas, fixed with wooden stakes and secured by staples. The buckets remained open for ten consecutive days in each field expedition, inspected twice daily. Each expedition's sampling effort was 80 bucket days (8 buckets open for ten days), totaling at the end of the study an effort of 240 buckets-days. The sampling unit corresponded to 1 hour of transection during the day (9:00 am to 10:00 am), afternoon (4:00 pm to 5:00 pm) and night (8:00 pm to 9:00 pm). Each expedition's sampling effort was ten hours/researcher/period (60h/period), totaling 180h.

Method steps

1. Fieldwork sampling in the São Lourenço district of Nova Friburgo occurred between May 2015 and February 2016, with one field expedition during the dry season (22nd to 31st May 2015), and two during the rainy season (6th to 16th October 2015 and 19th to 29th October 2016). We conducted ten sampling days on each expedition, covering altitudes between 1,100 and 1,400 m. We set up the area into four inventory sampling plots (SP) of 60m x 25m (1,500 m²), at least 400 m apart from each other. We applied for the Rapid Assessment Program with a team of six researchers, and we sampled using the time-limited visual encounter survey (VES), trapping and falling traps (Pitfalls traps) with drift fence, occasional encounter (OE) and third-party collection (TC). We also sampled amphibians in breeding sites (e.g. swamps, streams, pools). We installed pitfalls consisting of two sets of four buckets of 100 l spaced 5 m apart in each plot. The drift fences were interconnected by a 1 m high black plastic canvas, fixed with wooden stakes and secured by staples. The buckets remained open for ten consecutive days in each field expedition, inspected twice daily. Each expedition's sampling effort was 80 bucket days (8 buckets open for ten days), totaling at the end of the study an effort of 240 buckets-days. The sampling unit corresponded to 1 hour of transection during the day (9:00 am to 10:00 am), afternoon (4:00 pm to 5:00 pm) and night (8:00 pm to 9:00 pm). Each expedition's sampling effort was ten hours/researcher/period (60h/period), totaling 180h.

Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Nova Friburgo