Now, the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory is in charge of finding out about those reptiles and amphibians.

The lab, located at Savannah River Site and operated by the University of Georgia, is conducting herpetological surveys - tallies of reptile and amphibian populations - at 17 national parks for the National Park Service.

''The first step is to find out what species are there, and then the second step is to find out whether there are sustainable populations, populations big enough to continue on,'' said Whit Gibbons, a lab herpetologist who is coordinating the surveys.

The lab will perform studies at parks in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas, said Jerry O'Neal, the chief of science and natural resource management for the park service's southeast region.

The surveys are part of a five-year, $100 million effort to document plant and animal species in parks nationwide, Mr. O'Neal said. The goal is to identify at least 90 percent of the species in the parks, he said.

In many cases, such surveys never have been performed, Mr. O'Neal said.

''It's a pretty good challenge for us to do this,'' he said. ''It's a major effort, and one that we think has long-term potential to help us better manage what we have at the parks, because we don't know in some cases.''

Extensive work will be required to document the reptiles and amphibians of the parks, Dr. Gibbons said. Because many animals - particularly frogs and salamanders - cycle in and out of activity with the seasons, some surveys will continue for months, he said.

''Some of it is very seasonal,'' Dr. Gibbons said. ''There are certain kinds of salamanders that we will not be able to find out anything about until fall.''

Herpetologists will rely on recording devices known as ''frog loggers'' to record the distinctive nocturnal songs of frog species that otherwise would go undetected, Dr. Gibbons said.

The herpetologist praised the Park Service's efforts to document its wildlife.

''They want to know the biodiversity of species that occurs on the lands that they are responsible for, which is really something that I think all government agencies should be asking,'' Dr. Gibbons said. ''These parks are doing an excellent job of protecting some of our national heritage.''

Parks in survey

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory will perform herpetological surveys in the following national parks:

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, N.C.

Cape Lookout National Seashore, N.C.

Canaveral National Seashore, Fla.

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Fla.

Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Ga.

Congaree Swamp National Monument, S.C.

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Ga.

Fort Caroline National Memorial, Fla.

Fort Frederica National Monument, Ga.

Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fla.

Fort Pulaski National Monument, Ga.

Fort Sumter National Monument, S.C.

Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, Ala.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Ga.

Moores Creek National Battlefield, N.C.

Ocmulgee National Monument, Ga.

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, Fla.

Reach Brandon Haddock at (706) 823-3409 or bhaddock@augustachronicle.com.