Selective Predation by Pond-Breeding Salamanders in Ephemeral Wetlands of Ohio and Illinois.

Larval amphibians are important components of ephemeral wetland ecosystems, where they are abundant and perform important ecological functions. Larval pond-breeding salamanders (genus ) are the primary vertebrate predators in fishless, ephemeral wetland systems, where they consume large amounts of aquatic invertebrate prey. However, the mechanisms in which larval salamanders affect aquatic communities are poorly understood.

Blood Biochemical Reference Intervals for Wild Ornate Box Turtles ( Terrapene ornata) during the Active Season.

Blood biochemical and hematology analyses are helpful indicators of the physiologic health of animals, particularly when making conservation and management decisions for threatened species. In this study, we 1) established blood biochemical reference intervals for two populations of threatened, free-ranging ornate box turtles ( Terrapene ornata) in northern Illinois during their active season and 2) examined the effects of individual carapace temperature ( T) on blood biochemical variables by using a Bayesian hierarchical framework. Individual blood variables differed throughout the active season (May-September 2015), but there were few distinct patterns in concentrations over time.