Abundance and species richness of snakes along the Middle Rio Grande riparian forest in New Mexico

Published source details Bateman H.L., Chung-MacCoubrey A., Snell H.L. & Finch D.M. (2009) Abundance and species richness of snakes along the Middle Rio Grande riparian forest in New Mexico. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 4, 1-8.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Create or restore forests Action Link

Create or restore forests

A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in 2000–2006 in three areas of mixed riparian forest in north, middle and south Mexico (Bateman et al. 2009, likely same experimental set-up as Bateman et al. 2008) found that restoring forest through removing non-native vegetation and either planting native shrubs or burning slash piles did not increase overall snake abundance. The effect of planting native shrubs and burning slash piles cannot be separated from the effect of vegetation removal. Snake abundance remained similar in restored and unmanaged sites (data reported as statistical model outputs). Fourteen species of snake were counted in the sites over seven years of surveys. Snakes were monitored in 12 sites (20 ha each) in 2000–2006 from three areas of forest (four sites/area). In 2003–2005, the sites in each area were managed by either removing non-native plants (using chainsaws and herbicide), or removing non-native plants and planting native shrubs, or removing non-native plants and burning slash piles, or not managed at all (see original paper for details). Snakes were monitored using drift fences with pitfall and tunnel traps (‘arrays’; 3 arrays/site) in June–July 2000 and June–September 2001–2006.

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)