Literaturdatenbank

WIKINDX Resources

Bardwell, J. H. (2006). Dietary habits and prey selection among yellow mud turtles (kinosternon flavescens flavescens). Unpublished thesis , Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas. 
Added by: Admin (06 Jan 2014 18:24:01 UTC)
Resource type: Thesis/Dissertation
BibTeX citation key: anon2006d
View all bibliographic details
Categories: General
Keywords: Ernährung - nutrition, Habitat - habitat, Kinosternidae, Kinosternon flavescens, Nordamerika - North America, Schildkröten - turtles + tortoises
Creators: Bardwell
Publisher: Sul Ross State University (Alpine, Texas)
Views: 5/761
Views index: 20%
Popularity index: 5%
Abstract     
This study examines the diet of 37 Kinosternon flavescens flavescens from an ephemeral pool (Jug Tank) in Brewster Co., Texas using fecal analysis and quantifies prey by frequency and (quid volumetric quantity. Newly documented Kinosternon prey items include Apidae, Belostomatidae, Cleridae, Culicidae, Formicidae, Haliplidae, and Typhaceae. Prey item frequencies appear more similar to prior Sternotherus (50%) studies than Kinosternon (33%). Mean overlap indices of frequency/volume between Jug Tank Kinosternon with other Kinosternon (0.81/0.72) and with Sternotherus (0.87/0.56) populations all exceed 0.50, which evidences a high degree of generalist foraging and selection among all kinosternid turtles. Prey item volume, net consumption, and taxa diversity were statistically analyzed by direct correlation and categorical size class classification to predator ontogeny. Ontogeny showed significant increase (alpha = 0.05) of prey item volume (Sphaeriidae: Pearsons Coeff= 0.923, N = 8, p = 0.001; F (df=2) = 27.966, p = 0.002) and decrease in taxa diversity (Pearsons Coeff = 0.379, N = 37, p = 0.021; F (df = 3) = 3.478, p = 0.027). According to these results, the theory of increased prey selection availability with size appears supported as well as optimal foraging theory. This study augmented deficient knowledge of Kinosternon flavescens dietary habits, compared prey item selection among several kinosternid species, and supports the theory of ontogeny-based prey selection and optimal foraging among omnivorous freshwater turtles.
Added by: Admin  
wikindx 4.2.2 ©2014 | Total resources: 14930 | Database queries: 53 | Script execution: 0.23347 secs | Style: American Psychological Association (APA) | Bibliography: WIKINDX Master Bibliography