Demography of Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii) Along a Fishing Pressure Gradient

<p>Passive fishing gear is a threat to the alligator snapping turtle (<em>Macrochelys temminckii</em>). The spatio-temporal persistence of this threat and its impacts on <em>M. temminckii</em> populations has not been quantified. I quantified the density of passive fishing gear and the demographic parameters of <em>M. temminckii </em>along a fishing pressure gradient in East Texas streams. Most gear was abandoned and illegally deployed, with densities varying seasonally. Detectability of passive fishing gear declined with increasing gear age, water depth, and volume, but increased with increasing precipitation. <em>Macrochelys temminckii</em> catch per unit effort, abundance, and survival was lower at sites with higher densities of passive fishing gear. This research highlights the prevalence of abandoned passive fishing gear and the significant impacts these devices have on <em>M. temminckii</em> populations in the core of its Texas range.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science - Forestry

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Forestry

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Micek, Luke T

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jessica L. Glasscock
• Christopher M. Schalk
• Cord B. Eversole

• passive fishing gear
• bycatch
• turtles
• conservation
• herpetology
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Population Biology
• Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology
• Zoology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/591

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1665