Habitat associations of six-lined racerunners in longleaf pine managed with a short fire rotation for northern bobwhites

The longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savanna ecosystem is an imperiled,
fire-dominated community that supports exceptionally high levels of
species richness and endemism. Area of this community has declined by more
than 95% due to unsustainable logging, fire suppression, and changes in
land-use practices. In recent decades, efforts to restore fire-dominated
communities like longleaf pine savanna have gained popularity, especially
in light of benefits to charismatic species like the northern bobwhite
(Colinus virginianus). Although reptiles are important members of this
ecological community, far less information exists as to how this group
responds to longleaf pine management, especially when game bird
conservation is a primary management focus. Although bobwhite management
in these systems is mostly synonymous with longleaf pine restoration,
additional conservation practices aimed at game birds (e.g., promoting
fallow fields, supplemental feeding, meso-carnivore control, cross
sectional mowing, etc.) might affect the extent to which squamates benefit
from habitat management. To better understand how squamate reptiles may
benefit from longleaf pine savanna managed for northern bobwhites, we
surveyed for six-lined racerunners (Aspidoscelis sexlineata) across a
large, contiguous tract of longleaf pine with varied land cover
characteristics, managed to maximize the conservation of northern
bobwhites. Racerunner detection probability on transect surveys was low
( = 0.23) however, occupancy probability, was relatively high
( = 0.60) across the property and driven by percent open ground
(positive; 25m scale), percent grass cover (negative; 25m scale), and
percent wetland (negative; 100m scale). Our findings support those of past
studies about six-lined racerunners in longleaf pine savannas suggesting
the species thrives in the context of a short fire rotation (e.g., 2-3
years), even when game bird management is a primary objective of
conservation efforts. Racerunners may also specialize on microhabitats
(e.g., upland areas with relatively high bare ground cover) that occur
most frequently in recently burned portions of bobwhite management units.