Literaturdatenbank
Literaturdatenbank |
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Rutherford, J. L. (2010). Factors affecting predation on wood turtle (glyptemys insculpta) nests in the western upper peninsula of michigan. Unpublished thesis , Northern Michigan University.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich (30 Oct 2011 14:52:41 UTC) |
| Resource type: Thesis/Dissertation BibTeX citation key: Rutherford2010 View all bibliographic details  |
Categories: General Keywords: Habitat = habitat, Nordamerika = North America, Schildkröten = turtles + tortoises Creators: Rutherford Publisher: Northern Michigan University |
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| Abstract |
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Understanding predator foraging habits and nesting ecology of turtles is essential for the long term management of predator and prey. The objectives of this study were to (1) collect descriptive data on nesting ecology, including nest predation rate of a Wood Turtle population in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, (2) investigate potential cues used by predators for location of Wood Turtle nests, and (3) determine effects of the distance of nests from a river on predation. Natural nests (identified by oviposition behavior of females) were marked and monitored for predation. Additionally, simulated nests were created with 1 of 4 treatments applied: soil disturbance, turtle-scented water, soil disturbance and turtle-scented water, and distilled water (control). In a second experiment, artificial nests with buried chicken eggs were created at varying distances from the river and monitored for predation. Natural nest in this study experienced a low predation rate (4/7) compared to other studies. This result may be an artifact of small sample size or the remoteness of the study area, absence of human disturbance and resulting low density of raccoons. My results also suggest that nest predators used soil disturbance cues primarily for locating nests. Thus, applying a chemical cue to artificial nests in future empirical nest predation studies may be irrelevant. Nest predation decreased as nest distance from the river increased, which may have important conservation implications for future management plans.
Added by: Sarina Wunderlich |