Overwintering under ice: A novel observation for an Australian freshwater turtle.

Frozen water bodies provide a physiological challenge to fauna by physically limiting access to atmospheric oxygen. To tolerate low temperatures, reptiles use brumation as a physiological strategy in winter. Cryptodira vary in their tolerance to freezing conditions but the extent of tolerance in pleurodirans is largely unknown.

Creating wildlife habitat using artificial structures: a review of their efficacy and potential use in solar farms.

The biodiversity crisis is exacerbated by a growing human population modifying nearly three-quarters of the Earth's land surface area for anthropogenic uses. Habitat loss and modification represent the largest threat to biodiversity and finding ways to offset species decline has been a significant undertaking for conservation. Landscape planning and conservation strategies can enhance habitat suitability for biodiversity in human-modified landscapes.

How turtles keep their cool: Seasonal and diel basking patterns in a tropical turtle.

Behavioural thermoregulation by ectotherms is an important mechanism for maintaining body temperatures to optimise physiological performance. Experimental studies suggest that nocturnal basking by Krefft's river turtles (Emydura macquarii krefftii) in the tropics may allow them to avoid high water temperatures, however, this hypothesis has yet to be tested in the field. In this study, we examined the influence of environmental temperature on seasonal and diel patterns of basking in E.

Comparison of home range size, habitat use and the influence of resource variations between two species of greater gliders (Petauroides minor and Petauroides volans).

Knowledge of the spatial requirements of a species is fundamental to understanding its environmental requirements. However, this can be challenging as the size of a species' home range can be influenced by ecological factors such as diet and size-dependent metabolic demands, as well as factors related to the quality of their habitat such as the density and distribution of resources needed for food and shelter. Until recently, the genus Petauroides was thought to include only a single species with a widespread distribution across eastern Australia.

Leech removal is not the primary driver of basking behavior in a freshwater turtle.

Leaving the water to bask (usually in the sun) is a common behavior for many freshwater turtles, with some species also engaging in "nocturnal basking." Ectoparasite removal is an obvious hypothesis to explain nocturnal basking and has also been proposed as a key driver of diurnal basking. However, the efficacy of basking, day or night, to remove leeches has not been experimentally tested.