Barrier Island Herpetofauna 
147 
Carolina. Kiawah Island consists of approximately 3200 ha, half of which 
« 
is an extensive salt marsh. Major habitats besides the salt marsh include a 
12 km ocean-facing beach and dune system, and maritime thickets and 
forests that form most of the island’s interior. The maritime thickets are 
characterized by closely spaced vegetation, predominantly stunted live 
oaks, Quercus virginiana; yaupon holly. Ilex vomitoria\ and wax myrtle, 
Myrica cerifera. The interior forests are combinations of pines, Pinus sp.; 
oaks, Quercus sp.; magnolia. Magnolia grandiflora; and palmettos, Sabal 
sp.. 
About a dozen brackish and freshwater lakes that are not under tidal 
influence occur on Kiawah. They range in salinity from 0 ppt to about 17 
ppt depending upon their location on the island and upon recent rainfall. 
These lakes total approximately 80 ha and in most cases represent 
impounded salt marshes. In addition, many low-lying areas become 
flooded during wet parts of the year, creating small, shallow freshwater 
habitats throughout much of the forested parts of the island. Of major 
influence on Kiawah Island is the recreational development complex and 
resort located at the southwest end. This system of cottages, golf courses, 
and blacktop roads composed more than 10% of the island by 1979. 
Capers Island consists of about 900 ha, of which approximately 47% is 
salt marsh. Beach frontage on Capers is 5.3 km, much of which is com- 
posed of a short, ocean-facing beach with standing dead trees exposed 
only at low tide. Erosion of the beach and marsh margins has increased in 
recent years and has altered the size and configuration of impoundment 
areas. The island vegetation is generally similar to that of Kiawah Island, 
although the maritime thicket community is greatly reduced in extent. 
Only one small, freshwater pond, Greene Pond, is believed to have con- 
tained water continually throughout the study period. This pond, located 
at the south end of the island, is less than 0. 1 ha in area. An extensive 
brackish-water impoundment system is also present on the south end of 
the island. One arm of this impoundment, a large, isolated freshwater 
pond in earlier years, has been breached by surf erosion. Numerous 
ditches and low-lying areas throughout the island contain water during 
early spring and midsummer wet periods. 
The climate of both Kiawah and Capers Islands is classed as subtropi- 
cal. Temperatures fall below freezing on fewer than 20 days during the 
winter (Kjerfve 1974). Mean summer (July) temperatures are 21.5° C min- 
imum and 31.5° C maximum. Mean winter (January) temperatures are 
2.8° C minimum and 15.5° C maximum. Both islands receive approxi- 
mately 125 cm of rain a year. 
METHODS 
Field collecting techniques were diversified, since our objective was to 
