Rice cultivation supports growth and survival of a threatened semi-aquatic reptile
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- More information: Publisher Index Page (via DOI)
- Data Release: USGS data release - Growth and Capture Mark Recapture Data from Giant Gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) in Rice Irrigation Canals 2018 to 2023 (ver. 2.0, July 2025)
- Open Access Version: Publisher Index Page
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Abstract
Integration of agroecosystems and other working landscapes with protected lands and waters is critical to the conservation of Earth's biodiversity. Rice agroecosystems support many species by providing aquatic habitat where natural wetlands have been altered or drained. In regions with long dry seasons, rice fields and associated irrigation canals provide essential habitat for wetland-dependent species. We quantified the spatial scale and magnitude of the effect of rice growing on the growth and survival of the giant gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas), a threatened species that persists primarily in areas of rice agriculture in the Central Valley of California, USA. We used structural causal models to identify drought condition as a key confounder to adjust for when estimating the total effect of rice growing on demographic rates. We analyzed capture-mark-recapture data from 19 populations of giant gartersnakes with an integrated growth–survival model and used distance-weighted covariates to account for the decline in influence of rice with increasing distance from our study sites. We found strong support for a positive effect of rice grown within 1.9 km of a canal on giant gartersnake growth. There was also support for a positive effect of rice on giant gartersnake survival, although the spatial scale extended out to 5 km or more. Our results demonstrate how active rice growing benefits giant gartersnakes inhabiting irrigation canals and demonstrate an approach for studying landscape effects on wildlife in agroecosystems.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Rice cultivation supports growth and survival of a threatened semi-aquatic reptile |
| Series title | Ecological Applications |
| DOI | 10.1002/eap.70139 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Publication Date | December 08, 2025 |
| Year Published | 2025 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Ecological Society of America |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | e70139, 15 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |