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Habitat Use by Five Turtle Species in the Middle Mississippi River

Authors :
Quinton E. Phelps
Andrew P. Braun
Source :
Chelonian Conservation and Biology. 15:62-68
Publication Year :
2016
Publisher :
Chelonian Conservation and Biology Journal, 2016.

Abstract

Turtles face unique conservation challenges in modern modified river systems. Despite their ecological importance, gaps in knowledge still exist that may hinder their conservation. Turtle by-catch data from the US Army Corps of Engineers' Long-Term Resource Monitoring Program were analyzed for 5 turtle species (false map turtle, Graptemys pseudogeographica; red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta; common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina; smooth softshell turtle, Apalone mutica; and spiny softshell turtle, Apalone spinifera) to better understand macrohabitat and mesohabitat use. These species demonstrated differences in habitat use between various macrohabitats, substrata, velocity classes, and depth classes. Common snapping turtles and spiny softshell turtles were captured most often in tributaries, whereas red-eared sliders were captured most often in tributaries and closed side channels. Smooth softshell turtles used open side channels and unstructured main-channel borders most often. False map...

Details

ISSN :
19433956 and 10718443
Volume :
15
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
Chelonian Conservation and Biology
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........42fe90041a88e9edb40a608a9fe44028
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.2744/ccb-1156.1