A Method for Detecting Nesting Activity, Thermal Implications of Different Nesting Strategies, and Activity Patterns of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene Ornata)

The ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) is a small emydid terrestrial turtle that has experienced declines throughout its wide geographic range. In an effort to provide supporting research for a reintroduction program at the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge in northern Illinois, I investigated the ecology of this cryptic species. I developed a method that uses automated radio telemetry to identify nesting activity, allowing me to non-disruptively collect eggs from a species in which nests are notoriously difficult to find, and to monitor the nesting activity of many more animals than would otherwise be possible. Nest searches revealed that some females in this population nest underground, a behavior that may have important implications for the sex ratios of this temperature-dependent species. Data loggers placed into nest cavities revealed that underground nesting did not affect mean incubation temperatures, but the behavior reduced thermal variation of incubation temperatures. Automated telemetry was also used to quantify activity patterns in this population, and revealed that relative humidity, precipitation and turtle reproductive status affect turtle activity, and that thermal extremes restrict activity on both daily and seasonal scales in this northerly population. Activity levels were lower during an unusually warm summer.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science in Biology

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Tucker, Charles

Contributors dc:contributor

• Day Ligon

• activity
• automated radio telemetry
• nesting behavior
• ornate box turtle
• temperature dependent sex determination
• Terrapene ornata
• Biology

Statement dc:rights

• © Charles Tucker

Repository record dc:identifier

https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/1317

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:bearworks.missouristate.edu:theses-2318