%0 Journal Article
%T The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas: A Volunteer-Based Distributional Survey
%A Heather R. Cunningham
%A Charles A. Davis
%A Christopher W. Swarth
%A Glenn D. Therres
%J International Journal of Zoology
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/348653
%X Declines of amphibian and reptile populations are well documented. Yet a lack of understanding of their distribution may hinder conservation planning for these species. The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project (MARA) was launched in 2010. This five-year, citizen science project will document the distribution of the 93 amphibian and reptile species in Maryland. During the 2010 and 2011 field seasons, 488 registered MARA volunteers collected 13,919 occurrence records that document 85 of Maryland¡¯s amphibian and reptile species, including 19 frog, 20 salamander, five lizard, 25 snake, and 16 turtle species. Thirteen of these species are of conservation concern in Maryland. The MARA will establish a baseline by which future changes in the distribution of populations of native herpetofauna can be assessed as well as provide information for immediate management actions for rare and threatened species. As a citizen science project it has the added benefit of educating citizens about native amphibian and reptile diversity and its ecological benefits¡ªan important step in creating an informed society that actively participates in the long-term conservation of Maryland¡¯s nature heritage. 1. Introduction Amphibian and reptile species are among the most threatened groups of vertebrate animals [1, 2]. Factors that lead to population declines are habitat alteration and loss, invasive species, disease, environmental pollution, commercial collection, and climate change [1, 3]. The lack of thorough understanding of regional distribution patterns of amphibian and reptile populations can limit our ability to predict how species will respond to these factors [4]. An additional challenge to the protection and conservation of amphibian and reptile species (also called herps) is the overall negative perception by the public towards these organisms [5]. There is a pervasive attitude that these organisms are unimportant [5]. However citizen science projects, defined as projects where citizens participate in scientific research [5], have the potential to advance the protection of amphibian and reptile species. Specifically, citizen science-based atlas projects can efficiently assemble distribution information across large spatial scales while increasing environmental awareness in the general public about the ecological importance of herpetofauna. Through participation in atlas projects citizens play an important role in the long-term protection and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. Currently 93 native species of amphibians and reptiles occur in Maryland (20
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijz/2012/348653/