Research to inform Caltrans best management practices for reptile and amphibian road crossings

Cheryl S. Brehme; Robert N. Fisher; Tom E. S. Langton; Anthony P. Clevenger; Esther Adelsheim; Stephanie Barnes; Tristan Edgarian; Brittany Ewing; Stacie A. Hathaway; Michael Hobbs; Jennifer Kingston; A. Launer; Tritia A. Matsuda; Jeremy B. Sebes; C. Vaughn; Elise Watson

Research to inform Caltrans best management practices for reptile and amphibian road crossings

Cooperator Report

By: Cheryl S. Brehme, Robert N. Fisher, Tom E. S. Langton, Anthony P. Clevenger, Esther Adelsheim, Stephanie Barnes, Tristan Edgarian, Brittany Ewing, Stacie A. Hathaway, Michael Hobbs, Jennifer Kingston, A. Launer, Tritia A. Matsuda, Jeremy B. Sebes, C. Vaughn, and Elise Watson

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Abstract

In October of 2014, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) began a 5-year project to conduct research to inform Best Management Practices (BMPs) for amphibian and reptile crossing and barrier systems in California. To inform future conservation and transportation planning, this project involved identification of species at highest risk of negative road impacts, creation of geodatabase and spatial mapping tools that crosswalk with California Essential Habitat Connectivity Planning, and field research to address information gaps in the efficacy of reptile and amphibian passage and barrier systems. Per the agreement with California Department of Transportation (Caltrans; agreement 65A0553), this project was part of a broader collaborative effort between the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) of Montana State University and USGS Western Ecological Research Center (WERC). As part of this broader project, WTI conducted a worldwide literature review and gap analysis and produced the BMP manual for herpetofauna in California. WTI and USGS were contracted separately although we worked closely together throughout this broader effort and each brought particular expertise to the project. WTI has expertise in highways, the attributes of the highway environment, and has broad international experience with road ecology and herpetofauna connectivity systems worldwide. USGS WERC has expertise with California amphibian and reptile species and their ecology, study design and implementation, as well as expertise in landscape connectivity and road ecology.

Suggested Citation

Brehme, C.S., Fisher, R., Langton, T.E., Clevenger, A.P., Adelsheim, E., Barnes, S., Edgarian, T., Ewing, B., Hathaway, S.A., Hobbs, M., Kingston, J., Launer, A., Matsuda, T.A., Sebes, J.B., Vaughn, C., Watson, E., 2021, Research to inform Caltrans best management practices for reptile and amphibian road crossings: Cooperator Report, viii, 144 p.

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Additional publication details
Publication type	Report
Publication Subtype	Federal Government Series
Title	Research to inform Caltrans best management practices for reptile and amphibian road crossings
Series title	Cooperator Report
Year Published	2021
Language	English
Publisher	U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s)	Western Ecological Research Center
Description	viii, 144 p.
Country	United States
State	California