Article
Zoology
A. Hjort Toms, L. V. T. Browning, J. E. Paterson, S. Y. J. Angoh, C. M. Davy
Summary: The study found that spotted turtles exhibit cathemeral diel patterns, while Blanding's turtles are primarily diurnal. Nocturnal activity by spotted turtles is not limited to the nesting season and does not provide thermoregulatory benefits, possibly allowing for increased time for foraging or mate-seeking.
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tharusha Wijewardena, Matthew G. Keevil, Nicholas E. Mandrak, Andrew M. Lentini, Jacqueline D. Litzgus
Summary: Freshwater turtle populations are declining globally due to human activities. Urban turtle populations are particularly vulnerable to threats such as road mortality and predation, which can cause drastic changes in population size and structure. A headstarting program was implemented in Rouge National Urban Park in Canada to recover the Blanding's Turtles population. The program released a total of 270 headstarted turtles from 2014 to 2020, with an estimated abundance of 183 turtles in 2020. Survival rate of the headstarted turtles reached 89%, except for the turtles released in 2019 due to a mass mortality event. Monitoring and evaluation of the program's success require long-term monitoring of the headstarted turtles' growth and reproductive capacity.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Guinto, Matthew Cross, Gregory Lipps Jr, Yuman Lee, Bruce Kingsbury, Daniel Earl, Connor Dempsey, Jessica Hinson, Mark Jordan
Summary: The genetic diversity and population structure of the Blanding's Turtle in the Great Lakes region were investigated using microsatellite loci. Results showed high genetic diversity and low differentiation among sample localities. However, modeling suggests that many localities in the region are vulnerable to genetic loss in the next 200 years.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Scott A. Tarof, Steven Crookes, Kelsey Moxley, Jeff Hathaway, Graham Cameron, Robert H. Hanner
Summary: The study demonstrates the effectiveness of using eDNA to detect the presence of Blanding's turtles in wetland habitats, with positive detection linked to field observations of turtle abundance.
Article
Zoology
Callie Klatt Golba, Gary A. Glowacki, Richard B. King
Summary: Head-starting is an effective conservation strategy to increase recruitment of Blanding's Turtles. Long-term studies show that head-started juveniles perform similarly to wild-hatched juveniles, despite being larger in size. Additionally, adult survival is estimated to be 95% with stable population growth.
ICHTHYOLOGY AND HERPETOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Zoology
Vincent K. Fyson, Gabriel Blouin-Demers
Summary: The presence of Blanding's Turtles in wetlands is influenced by the surrounding landscape, with wetlands surrounded by forest and undisturbed lands being more likely to harbour the species. Larger wetlands and a high proportion of wetlands in the surrounding landscape also increase the probability of occupancy by Blanding's Turtles. Older wetlands are more likely to be occupied by Blanding's Turtles as well. Estimating a species' probability of occupancy can assist in conservation efforts and critical habitat delineation.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ellery V. Lassiter, Jinelle H. Sperry, Brett A. DeGregorio
Summary: This study investigated the drivers of movement and space-use of the imperilled spotted turtle in three large, isolated wetland complexes in Virginia, USA. The results showed that the movement and space-use of spotted turtles were influenced by the arrangement and size of the wetland complexes. Adult turtles had larger movement ranges and used more wetlands compared to juveniles. This study has important conservation implications for the management of semi-aquatic species and other organisms that occupy patchy habitat complexes.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Samantha E. Bradley, Laura Adamovicz, Kirsten Andersson, Lauren Mumm, Gary Glowacki, Matthew C. Allender
Summary: This study evaluates two methods of ESR measurement in Blanding's turtles and finds that the microhematocrit tube method overestimates ESR. ESR values are associated with various factors and can be used to assess inflammatory conditions in turtles.
JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Zoology
D. M. L. Gasbarrini, D. Lesbarreres, A. Sheppard, J. D. Litzgus
Summary: Mass mortality events can significantly impact population viability, particularly for long-lived species. Through examining potential causes such as disease and winter-kill, the study identified predation as the most likely cause of a mass mortality event of Blanding's Turtles, emphasizing the importance of habitat management for conservation of endangered species.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Justin D. Congdon, Kurt A. Buhlmann, J. Whitfield Gibbons
Summary: Evolutionary theories predict major differences in life-history trait values between long- and short-lived organisms. Research reveals that chicken turtles (Deirochelys reticularia) have a maximum longevity of 21 yrs, making them a short-lived turtle species. Short-lived female chicken turtles invest in high fecundity and produce large eggs, which may be why juvenile survivorship has a greater influence on population change rates than adult survivorship. In contrast, adult survivorship has the greatest influence on population change rates of the long-lived Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii).
CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Richard B. King, Callie K. Golba, Gary A. Glowacki, Andrew R. Kuhns
Summary: Population viability analysis of the Blanding's turtle highlighted the significance of population size in responding to uncertainty and geographic variation. Results showed a higher probability of extinction under uncertainty and catastrophic scenarios.
JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joseph S. Cannizzaro, Sandra L. Koch, William H. Graser
Summary: In this study, mammalian hair from a muskrat was discovered in the feces of a Blanding's Turtle. This is the first recorded mammalian food item and the second novel prey item documented in the diet of a Blanding's Turtle at this site. Further diet studies on this turtle are suggested in light of this discovery.
NORTHEASTERN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Dana K. Briscoe, Calandra N. Turner Tomaszewicz, Jeffrey A. Seminoff, Denise M. Parker, George H. Balazs, Jeffrey J. Polovina, Masanori Kurita, Hitoshi Okamoto, Tomomi Saito, Marc R. Rice, Larry B. Crowder
Summary: The North Pacific Loggerhead sea turtle undergoes a significant migration from nesting grounds in Japan to foraging grounds in the eastern North Pacific, with a new hypothesis suggesting the existence of a thermal corridor connecting these habitats. By studying oceanography and tracking data, it was found that a small percentage of loggerhead turtles move eastward during anomalously warm ocean conditions, providing insights into recruitment pathways. The discovery of this potential thermal corridor offers the opportunity to explore the development of dynamic ocean pathways for this protected species, shedding light on a longstanding mystery in sea turtle ecology.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James F. Welch, Bryan Windmiller, John Berkholtz
Summary: This unique observation presents the first record of Nicrophorus hebes utilizing turtle carrion and the first natural observation of the use of turtle carcasses by a Nicrophorus species. It has significant implications for the study of food webs within wetlands and the prey items burying beetles are using within wetland habitats.
NORTHEASTERN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Edward J. Knell, Jan Taylor, Matthew E. Kirby, Albert Garcia
Summary: This study proposes a land use model for Silver Lake in Mojave Desert, based on biotic resource structure and optimal foraging theory. The model predicts that Paleoindians adjusted their mobility strategies according to the rank of Silver Lake's wetland resource patch. However, the simplified model's static interpretation overlooks the dynamic nature of pluvial lakes and the impact on Paleoindians' land use decisions.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2023)