Rehabilitation of habitat connectivity between two important marsh areas divided by a major road with heavy traffic
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Published source details
Scoccianti C. (2006) Rehabilitation of habitat connectivity between two important marsh areas divided by a major road with heavy traffic. Acta Herpetologica, 1, 77-79.
Published source details Scoccianti C. (2006) Rehabilitation of habitat connectivity between two important marsh areas divided by a major road with heavy traffic. Acta Herpetologica, 1, 77-79.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Restore habitat connectivity Action Link |
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Install culverts or tunnels as road crossings Action Link |
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Restore habitat connectivity
A before-and-after study in 1994–2004 of a brackish and freshwater wetland in southern Tuscany, Italy (Scoccianti 2006) found that restoring connectivity between wetlands, by raising a road on a viaduct, significantly decreased deaths of migrating amphibians. Post-construction, many species were found migrating between wetlands under the viaduct. No remains of amphibians were found on the road post-construction, compared to thousands during some periods pre-construction. For example, after a night rainstorm in July 1997, over 6,500 newly emerged Italian edible frog Rana hispanica juveniles were counted on a 100 m stretch of road. A viaduct 215 m long was constructed in 2003 to raise the road. The supports of the viaduct (1.6 m high) were built on a bank 1 m higher than potential flood waters to prevent mixing of wetlands. Drift-fencing was installed for 300 m from each end of the viaduct along both sides of the road. Amphibian road kills were monitored before and after construction.
(Summarised by: Rebecca K Smith)
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Install culverts or tunnels as road crossings
A before-and-after study in 1994–2004 of a brackish and freshwater wetland in southern Tuscany, Italy (Scoccianti 2006) found that raising a road on a viaduct resulted in a significant decrease in amphibian road deaths. Following construction, no remains of amphibians were found on the road, compared to thousands during some periods pre-construction. For example, after a night rainstorm in July 1997, over 6,500 newly emerged Italian edible frog Rana hispanica juveniles were counted on a 100 m stretch of road. Many species used the open space under the viaduct to migrate between wetlands. A viaduct 215 m long was constructed in 2003 to raise a road. The supports of the viaduct (1.6 m high) were built on a bank 1 m higher than potential flood waters to prevent mixing of wetlands. Drift-fencing was installed for 300 m from each end of the viaduct along both sides of the road. Amphibian road kills were monitored before and after construction.
