Literaturdatenbank
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Wilson, G. L. (2003). Reproductive ecology of the eastern box turtle, terrapene carolina carolina (linnaeus, 1758) in an oak-pine woodland of the central virginia piedmont. Unpublished thesis , George Mason University.
Added by: Admin (14 Aug 2008 20:36:29 UTC) |
| Resource type: Thesis/Dissertation BibTeX citation key: Wilson2003a View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Emydidae, Fortpflanzung = reproduction, Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises, Terrapene, Terrapene carolina Creators: Wilson Publisher: George Mason University |
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| Abstract |
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The reproductive ecology of the eastern box turtle, Terrapene carolina carolina, was studied in an 11 ha wooded area in Lynchburg, Virginia. Population demographics that were estimated included a population size of 176 turtles with a 1:1 male to female sex ratio (88 females), population density of 16 turtles per ha, mean clutch size of 3.15 eggs, and a proportion of adult females gravid per year of 0.405. Reproductive output was 112 eggs per year. It was found that there was a positive significant relationship between carapace width and clutch size, as well as shell height and clutch size. However, there was no significant relationship between carapace length (CL) and clutch size. Forty-seven percent of eggs hatched with mammalian predation factored out by nest enclosures. There was strong evidence that moderate to heavy precipitation induced nesting behavior among gravid females and that 86-92% of gravid telemetered females oriented toward open areas (fields, road/trail sides, and yards) to nest. When mean clutch size was compared to other investigators of T. c. carolina, it was positively correlated with latitude. Mean female CL and clutch size in a Long Island population were both significantly larger than the means from the Virginia population. Due to the pre- and post-oviposition migration to and from nesting areas, gravid females had a mean home range of 18.8 ha, whereas, non-gravid females had a home range of 3.8 ha. This finding has negative implications regarding the conservation of T. c. carolina in road-fragmented habitats due to the potential for increased road mortality in the wider ranging gravid females.
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