EDP Baixo Sabor: Herpetofauna (Reptiles) - Compensatory Measures Program: MC10 (MC10.3 – Habitat creation [walls] and MC10.4 – habitat restoration [woods]): Exploration Phase (2015-2020).

Study Extent

The data were collected in 62 sampling points in the lower Sabor river valley and its tributaries, up to 42 km from the mouth, in the municipalities of Torre de Moncorvo, Alfândega da Fé, Mogadouro, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Vimioso and Bragança.

Sampling

Sampling was designed to cover the six stone walls constructed for reptiles along the lower Sabor river (MC10.3), 10 areas of forest recovery (holm-juniper formations), 6-8 grazing exclusion areas in rocky outcrops (MC10.4) and the same number of control areas. In the first case (MC10.3), the samples consisted of a systematic survey of reptiles in each wall (newly constructed or already present), recording all species present and counting the number of individuals observed (individuals/100m). Each wall was surveyed three times in each visit, separated by a 15 minutes waiting period (prospecting + waiting + prospecting + waiting + prospecting). Samplings were carried out once a month in April, June and September/early October, privileging the days sunny or with reduced cloud cover. The sampling for MC10.4 was carried out through a systematic survey of reptiles in holm-juniper formations and in grazing exclusion areas on rocky outcrops during a period of 15 minutes/person in the spring (May) and autumn (September/October). In each sampling point, an area of 1 ha (100 x 100 m) was searched for the presence of reptiles. All species were recorded and the number of individuals present counted.

Quality Control

All individual identifications were performed by qualified technicians.

Method steps

1. To be completed

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset includes 2 classes, 2 orders, 4 families, 9 genera and 10 species.

1. Chordata
   rank: phylum
2. Reptilia
   rank: class
3. Amphibia
   rank: class
4. Squamata
   rank: order
5. Anura
   rank: order
6. Lacertidae
   rank: family
7. Psammophiidae
   rank: family
8. Colubridae
   rank: family
9. Bufonidae
   rank: family
10. -----------
    rank: family

Data were collected along the lower Sabor river valley and its tributaries, in a buffer of 5 km around the reservoir's margins, from the mouth to 42 km upstream, in the municipalities of Torre de Moncorvo, Alfândega da Fé, Mogadouro, Macedo de Cavaleiros, Vimioso and Bragança.