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Abstract
Understanding and monitoring ecological impacts of the expanding agricultural industry in Belize is an important step in conservation action. To compare possible alterations in herpetofaunal communities due to these anthropogenic changes, trapping arrays were set in a manicured orchard, a reclaimed orchard and a lowland broadleaf forest in Stann Creek district at Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society (TREES). Trapping efforts were carried out during the rainy season, from June to September, 2016, during which time the study site was hit by a category one hurricane between sampling sessions. Trapping yielded 197 individual herpetofauna and 40 different species overall; 108 reptile captures (30 species) and 88 amphibian captures (ten species). Reptiles and amphibians were more abundant in the lowland broadleaf forest and the manicured orchard area. Amphibian species diversity was relatively similar in each habitat type. Reptile captures were most diverse in the Overgrown Orchard Forest (OGF) and Overgrown Orchard Riparian Forest (OGR) and least diverse in the Lowland Broadleaf Forest (LBF). The findings of this study suggest that reptile and amphibian sensitivity to anthropogenically altered areas is minimal when enveloped by natural habitat buffers, and additionally, that extreme weather events have little impact on herpetofauna communities in the area.
Highlights
Negative effects of agricultural development are well known for a number of taxa across the neotropics (Harvey et al 2006; Offerman et al 1995; Saab and Petit 1992)
According to the Mesoamerica Hotspot: Northern Mesoamerica Briefing Book (CEPF 2004), the Mesomerican hotspot is ranked first in reptile and second in amphibian species diversity when compared to other biodiversity hotspots around the world
Study site.—The study site was chosen at Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society (TREES) located between DMS; 17°03'07.98–17°02'46.16N, 88°34'14.43– 88°33'44.66 W; WGS84 (Fig. 2)
Summary
Negative effects of agricultural development are well known for a number of taxa across the neotropics (Harvey et al 2006; Offerman et al 1995; Saab and Petit 1992). Along with 391 reptiles and 307 amphibians endemic to the region, the Mesoamerica hotspot has remarkable herpetofauna species diversity in proportion to its surface area (Conservation International 2011; Mittermeier et al 2011; Myers et al 2000). Due to lack of preventative legal framework and rising poverty rate, the country has been experiencing high rates of deforestation and large-scale sprawl of land for agricultural use (Young 2008). As a consequence of high deforestation rates, and its immense diversity of flora and fauna, Belize is an import part of the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot (Cherrington et al 2012; DeClerck et al 2010; Young 2008)
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