Rice cultivation supports growth and survival of a threatened semi-aquatic reptile.

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

SUBMITTER: Rose JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12683694 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature