Quadrat Survey - Great Valley - 2016 - Terrestrial Species Stressor Monitoring [ds2830]

A total of 36 visual encounter quadrat surveys were conducted at a subset of study sites in the Great Valley between April and July 2016. A time-constrained search of 1 hour was conducted within a one-hectare quadrat, which was positioned to overlap survey site center and to be representative of the lifeform associated with the survey site. Waypoints were established at the four corners of a 100m by 100m square, and a single observer systematically surveyed by visually searching for any surface-active reptiles, amphibians, or other terrestrial vertebrates, while also checking under cover objects, crevices, and within burrows using a hand mirror. For each encounter, the observer noted time, substrate, and behavior such as basking, foraging, courtship/reproduction, territoriality, and fleeing. As with transect surveys, all wildlife sign (tracks, scat, burrows, nests) were noted.