Possible impacts of the Cantara spill on reptile populations along the upper Sacramento River

We assessed damage to reptile populations on the upper Sacramento River 1 y ear after a herbicide spill, in areas with >50% canopy cover, species richn ess was significantly lower and leaf-litter burrowers and semi-aquatic spec ies were under-represented on plots with high vegetation-injury values. Abu ndance of western fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, was 70% lower on dense canopy plots with high vegetation-injury values. A decrease in weight :snout-vent length ratio of male western fence lizards and an increase in f ence lizard parasite load with distance from spill site did not appear to b e caused by the spill. Garter snakes, Thamnophis spp,, were under-represent ed on open canopy plots below the spill site.