The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas

Naturalists, herpetologists, and ecologists alike agree that tracking herpetofauna is a uniquely challenging undertaking. Over the last 20 years, scientists in the state of Maryland have expressed growing concern about the potential decline of once-familiar amphibian and reptile species, but their evidence was too localized and anecdotal to support any real conclusions about the health of these populations. In order to better understand how amphibians and reptiles are distributed in the Old Line State and explain future trends in an era of accelerated climate change and environmental threats, many agreed that their best bet was to conduct a comprehensive statewide survey to update distribution maps not touched since the mid-1970s. However, this endeavor was of an impossible scope for scientists alone to tackle. Enter the Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas project, comprising nearly a thousand dedicated citizen scientists who discovered and recorded the locations of amphibians and reptiles throughout every corner of Maryland.

In The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas, Heather R. Cunningham and Nathan H. Nazdrowicz bring together the findings of this massive undertaking. The authors pair nearly 160 comprehensive new herpetological maps with historical distribution maps and in-depth species accounts. Numerous color photos illustrate the 89 species of frogs, salamanders, turtles, snakes, and lizards that call the state home. Essays discuss historical contributions to herpetology in Maryland, the current environmental character of the state'focusing on the effects of Maryland's climate, geology, and habitat diversity'and the myriad conservation issues that these animals face.

This richly detailed book represents a triumph of citizen science and the culmination of an intensive research partnership. Exploring an enigmatic natural world, The Maryland Amphibian and Reptile Atlas will appeal to a broad audience of both amateurs and professionals interested in herpetology, natural history, and ecology, as well as those with a special interest in Maryland's biodiversity.