This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Text errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. The amphibian and reptile fauna of older forest ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest includes several endemic species, species with unique behavioral and ecological characteristics, and species whose populations have been in decline in recent years. We review the biology of these species and include information oh their distinguishing characteristics, behavior, and ecology. Herpetofaunal associations with forest characteristics and the impact of habitat loss are addressed.Keywords: Amphibian, reptile, old-growth forest, Pacific Northwest, ecology. (Ehrlich 1988, McNeely and others 1990, Soule' 1986. A continual loss of biodiversity can have far-reaching ecological, economic, social, medical, and ethical consequences (for example, Green and Losos 1988, Oldfield 1984, Soule' 1986, Wilson 1988. Members of all taxonomic groups are affected, and threatened species exist in all the vertebrate classes.As part of the overall biodiversity crisis, several recent reports have suggested that many species within the vertebrate classes Amphibia and Reptilia are undergoing population declines and range reductions (Beebee 1992, Blaustein and Wake 1990, Blaustein and others 1994a, Phillips 1990, Vial and Saylor 1993. The declines of some species are especially perplexing because they are disappearing in areas of the world that are devoid of obvious habitat destruction, pollution, and exotic competitors or predators.Amphibians and reptiles are important components in many ecosystems. They can occupy key trophic positions in food webs of both aquatic and terrestrial systems. As adults, they can be top carnivores, and as larvae or juveniles, they may be the major food source of many other species including birds, mammals, fish, and invertebrates. In some forest ecosystems, amphibians may comprise the major component of the vertebrate biomass (for example, Burton and Likens 1975, Bury 1988). Moreover, under certain conditions, amphibians may be good "bioindicators" of environmental stress because of various aspects of their life histories, including their physiological and behavioral characteristics, morphogenetic patterns, and aspects of their population biology. The decline in amphibians may be an early warning signal that, ultimately, other organisms also may be in danger of decline and extinction.There is growing concern over the impact of potential losses in biodiversity in the Pacific Northwest, particularly in forest systems/The herpetofauna of these forests can reach relatively high densities and comprise the dominant component of faunal biomass (for example, Bury 1988). Additionally, some forest species are unique and extremely interesting, such as the giant salamanders (Dicamptodon species) which are thought to be the largest terrestrial salamanders, the tailed frog (Ascaphus truei) whose males have copulatory organs, the Cascades frog (R. cascadae) whose larvae may aggre...

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Crook and WheelerCounties. The herpetology of Grant County is little known, which is indicated by the fact that many of the species are here recorded for the first time from the