Larval and adult stages of amphibians supply different ecological functions and are akin to two ecological species divided into terrestrial and aquatic environments. Northern landscapes are diversified by the geographic admixture of overlapping species with different habitat requirements, occupancy patterns, and migratory behaviours. Different landscapes vary the context for natural experimental design. Sampling design in mark-capture-recapture studies to measure abundance and biomass across varied landscapes will be reviewed, including results from two multi-year studies funded by the BC Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program and BC Hydro. Methods, hypotheses, and some of the techniques used for research into herpetofauna in northern BC will be presented, including PIT tag telemetry, digital record of skin pattern for fingerprinting, and software for population analysis. Provincial best management practices for amphibians and reptiles and related forestry practices will also be reviewed and discussed in relation to the science, conservation, and management of BC’s northern herpetofauna.

The Natural Resources & Environmental Studies Institute (NRESi) at UNBC hosts a weekly lecture series at the Prince George campus. Anyone from the university or wider community with interest in the topic area is welcome to attend. Presentations are also made available to remote participants through Livestream and Blue Jeans. Go to http://www.unbc.ca/nres-institute/colloquium-webcasts to view the presentation remotely.

Past NRESi colloquium presentations and special lectures can be viewed on our video archive, available here.