Invasive plant management creates ecological traps for snakes

Abstract

Exotic plant management often begins only after introduced taxa become widespread and problematic. Control efforts at this stage have a higher potential to lead to unintended outcomes in native systems. We explored the impacts of ongoing invasive plant management on a native ectotherm, the copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix), in a landscape heavily impacted by multiple nonnative plant species. We found that habitats undergoing invasive plant control are preferred by snakes over other available habitats, but these individuals are at greater risk of injury and mortality owing to policy-driven methods of control. At the same time, we show that management can reverse invader impacts, notably reclaiming thermoregulatory opportunities for ectotherms, thus offering benefits as well as challenges for such animals. This introduces a key dilemma for conservation as invasive plant management can reclaim critical resources while policy-driven control methods can undermine the success of these efforts. We outline several simple and direct solutions that may easily be incorporated into management plans.