Population Estimates, Demography, and Habitat Assessment of the Pearl River map turtle (Graptemys pearlensis) in the Pearl River Drainage of Mississippi

<p>The Pearl River map turtle (<em>Graptemys pearlensis</em>) is a highly riverine Emydid endemic to the Pearl River drainage of central and southern Mississippi and southern Louisiana. First described in 2010, <em>G. pearlensis</em> was listed as federally Threatened in 2024. . Due to its relative novelty as a species, no rigorous site-specific population estimates of <em>G. pearlensis</em> in Mississippi have been conducted. The primary goal of this study was to implement a replicable method of assessing the population of <em>G. pearlensis</em> throughout the Pearl River drainage system of Mississippi. A secondary goal was to describe habitat associated with <em>G. pearlensis</em> abundance. We captured a total of 186 <em>G. pearlensis</em> across 53.2 rkm. Our drainage wide population estimate for <em>G. pearlensis</em> was 22.4 turtles per rkm, although site abundance varied from 2.2 to 141.7 turtles per rkm. These numbers are significantly lower than <em>G. oculifera</em>, which was estimated at 96 turtles/rkm, with site abundance between 47 and 217.7 turtles/rkm. This leads us to recommend continued monitoring of <em>G. pearlensis</em>, and to support their protected status. We also performed habitat analysis across the main stem Pearl River and on 12 tributaries and creeks. As the only apparent significant habitat variable associated with <em>G. pearlensis</em> density was sandbar area, we recommend future studies focus on more thoroughly assessing habitat at locations with both low and high densities of <em>G. pearlensis</em>.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Devros, Noah

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Carl Qualls
• Dr. Luke Pearson
• Dr. Jake Schaefer

• map turtles
• graptemys pearlensis
• pearl river
• Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/1102

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:aquila.usm.edu:masters_theses-2190