Full text of the article
Kronshage, A., Schlüpmann, M., Beckmann, C., Weddeling, K., Geiger, A., Haacks, M und S. Böll (2014):
Empfehlungen zum Einsatz von Wasserfallen bei Amphibienerfassungen. In: Kronshage, A. und D. Glandt (Hrsg.): Wasserfallen für Amphibien - praktische Anwendung im Artenmonitoring. Abhandlungen aus dem Westfälischen Museum für Naturkunde 77: 293-358.
(download of volume 77 from www.lwl.org)
(download of the article from www.lwl.org)
(Link: LWL-Museums für Naturkunde, publications)
Zusammenfassung (Deutsche Fassung).
The use of funnel traps has become a standard method for monitoring amphibians, especially for adult newts. Frequently, monitoring obligations for the Great crested newt (Triturus cristatus), a species from the Annex II and IV of the Habitat directive, are fulfilled by funnel trap application.
Different funnel trap models are available, such as bucket traps, box funnel traps, bottle traps and collapsible nylon traps. Sometimes other models with an interior light are used.
The advantages and disadvantages of the different types of funnel traps are described such as their catch rate and handling characteristics. Recommendations are made for their use with respect to trap position in a water body, materials of construction, the frequency and duration of deployment and basic information on good practice. Advice is given on the limitations of the methods, how to optimise all these aspects and also on how to analyse capture data.
It would be desirable to standardise survey methods across all federal states in Germany but with the variety of different traps in use a national standard for monitoring programs is difficult to achieve. Some recommendations are made here along with suggestions for further study. Many questions remail open for further research.