SREL Reprint #3219

Terrestrial habitat requirements of nesting freshwater turtles

D. A. Steen1,2, J. P. Gibbs3, K. A. Buhlmann4, J. L. Carr5, B. W. Compton6, J. D. Congdon4, J. S. Doody7,
J. C. Godwin8, K. L. Holcomb9, D. R. Jackson10, F. J. Janzen11, G. Johnson12, M. T. Jones13, J. T. Lamer14, T. A. Langen15, M. V. Plummer16, J. W. Rowe17, R. A. Saumure18, J. K. Tucker19, and D. S. Wilson20

1Joseph W. Jones Ecological Research Center, Newton, GA 39870, USA
2Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
3Department of Forest and Environmental Biology, SUNY-ESF, Syracuse, NY 13210, USA
4Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC 29802, USA
5Department of Biology and Museum of Natural History, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA 71209, USA
6Department of Environmental Conservation, Holdsworth Natural Resources Center, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
7School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
8Alabama Natural Heritage Program, Environmental Institute, Auburn University, AL 36849, USA
9Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA
10Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32303, USA
11Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
12Department of Biology, SUNY College at Potsdam, Potsdam, NY 13676, USA
13Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
14Department of Biological Sciences, Western Illinois University, Macomb, IL 61455, USA
15Department of Biology, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699-5805, USA
16Department of Biology, Harding University, Searcy, AR 72149, USA
17Biology Department, Alma College, Alma, MI 48801, USA
18Environmental Resources Division, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Las Vegas, NV 89106, USA
19Great Rivers Field Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Brighton, IL, USA
20Southwestern Research Station, Portal, AZ 85632, USA

Abstract: Because particular life history traits affect species vulnerability to development pressures, cross-species summaries of life history traits are useful for generating management guidelines. Conservation of aquatic turtles, many members of which are regionally or globally imperiled, requires knowing the extent of upland habitat used for nesting. Therefore, we compiled distances that nests and gravid females had been observed from wetlands. Based on records of > 8000 nests and gravid female records compiled for 31 species in the United States and Canada, the distances that encompass 95% of nests vary dramatically among genera and populations, from just 8 m for Malaclemys to nearly 1400 m for Trachemys. Widths of core areas to encompass varying fractions of nesting populations (based on mean maxima across all genera) were estimated as: 50% coverage = 93 m, 75% = 154 m, 90% = 198 m, 95% = 232 m, 100% = 942 m. Approximately 6–98 m is required to encompass each consecutive 10% segment of a nesting population up to 90% coverage; thereafter, ca. 424 m is required to encompass the remaining 10%. Many genera require modest terrestrial areas (<200 m zones) for 95% nest coverage (Actinemys, Apalone, Chelydra, Chrysemys, Clemmys, Glyptemys, Graptemys, Macrochelys, Malaclemys, Pseudemys, Sternotherus), whereas other genera require larger zones (Deirochelys, Emydoidea, Kinosternon, Trachemys). Our results represent planning targets for conserving sufficient areas of uplands around wetlands to ensure protection of turtle nesting sites, migrating adult female turtles, and dispersing turtle hatchlings.

Keywords: Buffer, Land use planning, Landscape, Nest, Migration, Reptile

SREL Reprint #3219

Steen, D. A., J. P. Gibbs, K. A. Buhlmann, J. L. Carr, B. W. Compton, J. D. Congdon, J. S. Doody, J. C. Godwin, K. L. Holcomb, D. R. Jackson, F. J. Janzen, G. Johnson, M. T. Jones, J. T. Lamer, T. A. Langen, M. V. Plummer, J. W. Rowe, R. A. Saumure, J. K. Tucker, and D. S. Wilson. 2012. Terrestrial habitat requirements of nesting freshwater turtles. Biological Conservation 150(2012): 121-128.

This information was provided by the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (srel.uga.edu).