干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

The effect of temperature, humidity, cloud cover, wind and rainfall on capture rates of small reptiles in pitfall traps was assessed in the South Australian arid zone. Capture rates increased significantly with increased ambient temperature. Captures of diurnal reptiles were highest when the minimum temperature was greater than 26 degreesC, while captures of nocturnal reptiles peaked when maximum temperatures exceeded 34 degreesC. Dark nights, particularly those with cloud cover, yielded higher captures of nocturnal reptiles than moonlit or cloudless nights. Representative sampling periods to record a wide range of reptile species should extend for at least 8 days, which is the modal period of a major change in daily temperature during the summer months.