Literaturdatenbank
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Yagi, K. T. (2010). The effects of flooding on the spatial ecology and thermoregulation of spotted turtles (clemmys guttata) in a southern ontario population. Unpublished thesis , Laurentian University, Sudbury.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (25 Jun 2011 12:42:23 UTC) |
| Resource type: Thesis/Dissertation BibTeX citation key: Yagi2010 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Clemmys, Clemmys guttata, Emydidae, Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises Creators: Yagi Publisher: Laurentian University (Sudbury) |
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| Abstract |
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A population of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata ) in southern Ontario has been studied by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) beginning in 1998. This population exists in a historically peat-mined habitat where, until recently, the only standing water available was within drains dug out by peat-miners. By 2005, Beavers (Castor canadensis ) had re-colonized the area and caused a great increase in water levels within the study site. I investigated changes in spatial patterns and habitat selection (at two spatial scales) between pre- and post-flooding conditions using historical radio-telemetry data from OMNR, and radio-telemetry data I collected during the summers of 2008 and 2009. Spotted Turtles showed selection for the historical drains and the new flooded areas at the home range level during post-flood conditions, where they only selected for the drains before flooding. Results also showed an increase in home ranges and mean daily distances moved during post-flood conditions, which is likely attributed to the increase in available habitat. I also investigated the efficiency of Spotted Turtle thermoregulation and the habitat thermal quality in the study site during the flooded conditions. I determined Spotted Turtle preferred temperature range (Tset ) by testing thirteen Spotted Turtles within a terrestrial thermal gradient in the lab. Spotted Turtle Tset was found to be 20?C - 26?C. Artificial turtle models were placed throughout the available habitat to record habitat temperatures (Te ), and iButtons were attached to radio-tracked turtles to record turtle body temperatures (Tb ). Turtles were found to be the most efficient at thermoregulating within the new aquatic habitats because their body temperatures were similar to the habitat temperatures, which did not deviate far from Tset , suggesting that turtles were thermoconforming to these new aquatic habitats.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |