Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Pettit, K. E., Bishop, C. A., & Brooks, R. J. (1995). Home range and movements of the common snapping turtle, chelydra serpentina serpentina, in a coastal wetland of hamilton harbour, lake ontario, canada. Canadian Field Naturalist, 109(2), 192–200.
Added by: Admin (01 Aug 2010 18:22:03 UTC) |
| Resource type: Journal Article BibTeX citation key: Pettit1995 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Chelydra, Chelydra serpentina, Chelydridae, Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises Creators: Bishop, Brooks, Pettit Collection: Canadian Field Naturalist |
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| Abstract |
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Between June 1990 and August 1991, we radio-tracked the movements of 15 female and eight male Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina serpentina) in a coastal wetland within Hamilton Harbour Lake Ontario Canada, to test whether these movements were predictable from differences in energy requirements and whether turtles that nested in a wetland, lived and fed in that wetland. The area and length of the home range and total distance travelled between observations were greater for female turtles than for males. Mean home range did not differ between 1990 (8.6 ha for females and 2.2 ha for males) and 1991 (9.7 ha for females and 3.4 ha for males) for either sex. The maximum distance travelled from the nesting site in 1990 was 2020 m. This was not measured in 1991. In 1990, but not in 1991, the distance travelled from the nesting site, the maximum length of the home range, and distances travelled between observations by females were positively and significantly related to their body mass. In both years, turtles moved the greatest distances from spring until mid-July and movement decreased throughout late July and August. Very little movement occurred between 31 August 1990 and 15 March 1991 when the turtles were hibernating. Following overwintering, turtles resumed movement after 15 March 1991. Male and female Snapping Turtles did not have significantly different home range sizes than turtles in previous studies of a more northern population in Ontario. However, nesting migrations were shorter for turtles from the Lake Ontario population probably due to greater availability of suitable nesting and feeding areas. Our findings indicate that home range size is not clearly correlated with expected differences in energetics requirements based on differences in habitat productivity, sex, or body size.
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