Literaturdatenbank
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Gao, M. (2006). Ecology research of cuora aurocapitata in the wild. Academic Journal of Anhui University, 4, 59–61.
Added by: Admin (06 Jan 2014 18:22:49 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: anon2006 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Cuora aurocapitata, Geoemydidae, Habitat - habitat, Ostasien - East Asia, Schildkröten - turtles + tortoises Creators: Gao Collection: Academic Journal of Anhui University |
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| Abstract |
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I've abstracted some items from the paper by GAO Meiying, Anhui Normal University) as follows. 1. Distribution of Cuora aurocapitata The species is known to occur in a few patches in Anhui province. The survey conducted by Xuzhou Normal University since 1991 reveals that its range mainly includes Guba, Caicun, Gufeng of Jingxian county, which is less than 120 square kilometres. Its wild population is estimated to be under 100. The ecological factors that result in its fragmented distribution are unclear. Whether the species also occur in other counties in Anhui, it needs further investigation. 2. Natural history of C. aurocapitata The species is confined to the clear reaches with deep pool and gravel layer in the riverbed. Fine sand bank is also critical. Adults live in deep water while hatchlings and juveniles occur around river bend. The speices is mainly nocturnal. They feed on fishes, crustaceans and aquatic insects. Adults may hibernate in deep pools. They are reduced to hibernation when temperature falls below 10℃ while they revive in 20℃. Females experience 2 estrus annually, from April to May and from September to October. Male can respond whenever proper female is available except during hibernation. Females lay 3-7 eggs from June 16th to July 17th. (It is not clear if the condition is observed in wild or in captivity according to the original files.) Fertilization rate averages from 60%-80%. When the humidity is 40% to 70%, hatching rate would be 60%. 3. Current status The wild population collapsed during the 1990s. Few individuals were caught in recent years. Two juveniles were caught in Guba, 2003. One juvenile caught in June, 2005 was found in this survey. One to three individuals were caught annually in Yixian. Actually, the known range of the species is now reduced to 1.5 square kilometers, 0.5 square kilometers in Jingxian and 1 square kilometers in Yixian. About 50 individuals were estimated to survive in the wild. 4. Main threats Cultivation and sand-mining in the bank erodes its habitats. Human activities are intense near the river across its range. Damming plan will flood the species’ remanent habitat in Yixian. Pollution from a paper mill has eliminated the aquatic fauna in the species’ former range, while destructive over-fishing is exhausted the fauna in the whole regional river system. WEN Cheng
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