32 J. P. Phelps and R. A. Lancia 



The research results presented here were obtained concurrent 

 with other studies (Pavel 1993, Perison In Press) designed to document 

 the impact of timber harvesting on the functional value of a bottom- 

 land swamp. Amphibians and reptiles (herpetofauna) were chosen as 

 the appropriate wildlife groups to study because of their abundance in 

 the Southeast (Keister 1971, Vickers et al. 1985, Hairston 1987) and 

 because of their importance in food chains (Pough et al. 1987, Blaustein 

 and Wake 1990). Herpetofaunal species are also influenced by factors 

 that are affected by timber harvest, including hydrology, soil quality, 

 and vegetative structure. Herpetofaunal communities have been shown 

 to be altered by clearcutting (Enge and Marion 1986, Pough et al. 



1987, Petranka et al. 1993), ditching of wetlands (Vickers et al. 1985, 

 Enge and Marion 1986), and changing forest cover (Bennett et al. 

 1980, Pough et al. 1987). 



In addition, much attention has been paid to a possible world- 

 wide decline in amphibian diversity (Blaustein and Wake 1990, Pechmann 

 et al. 1991, Hairston and Wiley 1993). Logging has been identified 

 among the many possible causes of such a decline (Wake 1991, Hairston 

 and Wiley 1993). Amphibians may be a good indicator of general 

 environmental degradation, due to their exposure to terrestrial and 

 aquatic toxins, and their sensitivity to habitat changes (Beiswenger 



1988, Blaustein and Wake 1990). 



The objectives of our research were to evaluate whether clear- 

 cutting in a hardwood swamp had any effect on community diversity 

 or abundance of summer-active amphibians and reptiles. We also attempted 

 to identify habitat variables that may have been related to changes in 

 the herpetofaunal community. 



METHODS 



Study Site 



The study site was on the South Fork of the Edisto River, 

 near Norway (Orangeburg County), South Carolina. "The site is re- 

 presentative of blackwater swamps in the Carolinas that have timber 

 management potential" (Perison et al. 1993). Predominant trees in the 

 swamp forest included tupelo gum (Nyssa spp.), sweetgum (Liquidambar 

 styraciflua), willow/water oak (Quercus phellos/nigra), and green ash 

 (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) (Pavel 1993). A clearcut of approximately 

 10 ha was completed in January 1991. Much of the clearcut area was 

 impacted by skidder tire ruts. The adjacent control area was upstream 

 of the clearcut and was a second growth stand approximately 45 years 

 old. Second growth forest surrounded the clearcut. The sampled area 

 of control was comparable to the size of the clearcut. The edge sampled 

 was 650 m long. 



