Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration

In 2017, UC Santa Barbara’s North Campus Open Space (NCOS) Ecological Restoration Project began major excavation on a golf course to convert it back into the upper arms of a slough and coastal mesa which historically existed in the area. Before restoration began, twenty-six coverboards were monitored between 2012 and 2014 to assess terrestrial populations of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. In 2020, forty-four plywood coverboards with a uniform area (1526 in²) were deployed across various planting and restoration regimes on these 300 acres of recently restored open space. Boards are monitored weekly by a student research intern, who records vertebrate species abundance and invertebrate species presence at each site. So far, species richness and composition of herpetological inhabitants remained the same before and after restoration (six reptile and two amphibian species). However, encounter rates (our proxy for abundance), have changed for some species following restoration. Most notably, we recorded an increase in garter and gopher snakes, especially in adjacent salt marsh habitats, and a decrease of slender salamanders, which have not been found in areas of high soil movement. Our results demonstrate that the processes and outcomes of ecological restoration affect populations of reptiles and amphibians, and that these species should be considered in monitoring efforts that determine the “success” of a project. We hope to continue this monitoring for many years, both to examine the impacts of the restoration at a longer timescale and provide undergraduates with opportunities to conduct scientific research related to herpetology near their campus.