The summit lake paiute tribe natural resources department will conduct a reptile and amphibian inventory on the summit lake reservation in remote northern nevada

The information gained from the project will fill a critical GAP in knowledge regarding the species composition on the reservation and surrounding area. Reptile and amphibian species play an important role in the summit lake paiute tribes culture, being included in many of the tribes stories as well as being used traditionally for regalia and religious purposes. Data from the project will create a baseline that will allow for future monitoring of population changes in these ecologically and culturally important species currently threatened by climate change and invasive species. Surveys will be conducted in the spring, summer, and fall over a two-year period in order to gain a comprehensive inventory of the reptile and amphibian species occurring on the reservation. Findings will be used by the tribe to inform potential future research and management efforts as well as promote the conservation of these species. Data will also be shared with state and federal agencies, as well as a local university, and will help to gain a better understanding of an important and often overlooked group of species.