Meeting Abstract

67.3  Wednesday, Jan. 6  Large scale habitat manipulation influences body condition in adult timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus) DOUGLAS, L.E.**; BEAUPRE, S.J.; University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ledougl@uark.edu

Identification of methods for monitoring the effects of habitat restoration is of critical conservation importance. We studied the effects of large scale habitat modifications on timber rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus). Thirteen plots ranging in size from 4.2 ha to 18 ha were modified in an effort to restore oak savanna habitat in an upland hardwood ecosystem in Madison County, Arkansas. Plots were manipulated by selective harvest, prescribed burning, or both treatments, or were managed for continued fire suppression as control sites. Modifications were conducted in 2007 and 2008 by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, and sites were monitored for two years before and two years after treatments occurred. We analyzed changes in body condition of timber rattlesnakes tracked using radio-telemetry throughout the study period. Body conditions of rattlesnakes foraging on manipulated plots increased or remained unchanged during the study period, while body conditions of snakes foraging in control areas declined following manipulations to levels significantly lower than the body conditions of snakes using manipulated areas. Despite dramatic changes in composition of the vegetation community, density and diversity of snake prey species (small mammals) did not detectably increase at manipulated sites until the second year following manipulations, and then only at sites that were both cut and burned. Physiological changes in C. horridus appear to rapidly integrate ecosystem-level changes that may be difficult to detect using other methods (e.g. mammal trapping); therefore we suggest C. horridus has potential to serve as an indicator species for forest restoration.