Effects of tallgrass prairie restoration on snake community dynamics in Northern Illinois

Budde, Grace Wilson Wu

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/121949 Copy

Description

Title

Effects of tallgrass prairie restoration on snake community dynamics in Northern Illinois

Author(s)

Budde, Grace Wilson Wu

Issue Date

2023-10-10

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Dreslik, Michael J

Committee Member(s)

• King, Richard B
• Larson, Eric R

Department of Study

Natural Res & Env Sci

Discipline

Natural Res & Env Sciences

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.S.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• restoration
• snakes
• Illinois
• tallgrass prairie
• prairie
• community
• community dynamics
• community metrics
• occupancy
• richness
• diversity
• relative abundance
• grassland

Abstract

Studies regarding faunal reaction to prairie restoration can result in successful species conservation. I used wood and tin artificial cover objects to investigate the occupancy, richness, diversity, and relative abundance of snake species through a chronosequence of 13 restored prairies ranging from 0 to 15 years old, along with non-restored reference sites, including non-native grass-dominated fields and remnant prairie areas. I discovered seven snake species within my study sites. Results showed grassland snake species occupancy and community metrics are not related to tallgrass prairie restoration through a chronosequence. The larger snake species, including the North American Racer (Coluber constrictor) and the Eastern Foxsnake (Pantherophis vuplinus), used areas regardless of the restoration status and despite road and edge fragmentation. The smaller Dekay’s Brownsnake may also use habitat similarly but was associated with higher vegetation cover and plant species richness. My results show snake species occupy sites due to habitat components, as opposed to temporal factors in restoration. Non-restored, non-native European grass-dominated sites offered suitable or more suitable habitat for some snake species than restored tallgrass prairie.

Graduation Semester

2023-12

Type of Resource

Thesis

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2023 Grace Wilson Wu Budde

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