Literaturdatenbank
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Buech, R. R., Nelson, M. D., Hanson, L. G., & Brecke, B. J. (1997). Wood turtle habitat research. Proceedings: Conservation, Restoration, and Management of Tortoises and turtles - An International Conference.
Added by: Admin (17 Aug 2008 18:17:13 UTC) Last edited by: Beate Pfau (02 Nov 2008 10:40:26 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: Buech1997a View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Clemmys, Emydidae, Glyptemys, Glyptemys insculpta, Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises Creators: Brecke, Buech, Hanson, Nelson Collection: Proceedings: Conservation, Restoration, and Management of Tortoises and turtles - An International Conference |
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| Abstract |
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The wood turtle, Clemmys insculpta, is found in the United States from the Midwest to the Northeast. Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin list the wood turtle as either "Endangered" or "Threatened." We wanted to know why wood turtles are uncommon in the Eastern Great Lakes region. In cooperation with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Nongame Program, we studied wood turtles living on rivers in northeast Minnesota. We have studied their movements, habitat use, nesting behavior, and nesting success. What have we learned? The behavior of wood turtles has seasonal patterns. They are terrestrial in summer and aquatic in winter. Spring and fall are transitional periods, when they spend cool nights in the water and warm days on land. Wood turtles use a variety of habitats, most of which are common. However, nesting habitat is not abundant. Preferred nesting sites are bare sand or gravel areas such as cutbanks and sand bars. Females traveled as far as 4.3 miles to nest, presumably because nesting areas are few. We found loss of nests to egg predators such as skunk and fox to be high. Furthermore, most wood turtles living on the Cloquet River are old; only 20% of turtles were <15 years old. We believe that the wood turtle population in the Great Lakes region is probably below historic levels because: (1) nesting areas are degrading and disappearing due to recreational disturbance and streambank restoration programs, (2) egg predators such as opossum, raccoon, and skunk are expanding their range, (3) adults are killed by vehicles when crossing roads, especially females seeking nesting areas in spring, and (4) in some regions, adults are collected and sold into the pet trade. We are most concerned about the lack of nesting areas and destruction of nests by egg predators. What are we doing about these concerns? o We are developing a set of standards and guides for managing riverine and riparian habitats to benefit wood turtle populations. o We are informing fisheries and recreation managers of the potential negative impact of streambank restoration programs on wood turtle nesting areas and of potential disturbance from other sources. o We are testing ideas for protecting nesting areas from egg predators. For example, we fenced part of an abandoned gravel pit. Whereas 70% of nests outside the fence were destroyed, all 18 nests inside the fence survived (we counted 190 hatchlings leaving the fenced area!). o We are exploring ideas for creating new nesting areas; one has been created in the Superior National Forest, and others are planned. We will monitor their efficacy. o We are testing ideas for enumerating and monitoring wood turtle populations at the watershed level so that managers can determine their status at will. We recognize that it will take a partnership of numerous private and public entities to effectively manage wood turtles across entire watersheds. Our goal is to provide the knowledge that will allow this to happen.
Added by: Admin Last edited by: Beate Pfau |