Once ubiquitous, North American box turtles are experiencing reductions in abundance and range, but the magnitude of these losses is largely unknown. In Missouri, native box turtles ( and ) are declining across the state due to anthropogenic disturbances such as urbanization, habitat fragmentation, and vehicle collisions. Through radio-tracking over a period of 7 years, we documented the survival of adult three-toed box turtles at two sites in Missouri: Forest Park (urban park) and Tyson Research Center (TRC) (a protected rural forest). Estimated annual survival of adult turtles in Forest Park was 79% (95% CI: 0.68-0.87) while at TRC annual survival was 93% (95% CI: 0.83-0.97). The odds of annual survival for a turtle at TRC were 3.5 times that of a turtle living in Forest Park. "Winter kill," which refers to box turtles found dead on the surface during brumation or within 2 weeks of emergence, was the most frequently documented category of mortality in Forest Park. At TRC, winter kill was not documented; however, the reasons for most deaths were unknown. These data raise questions about the potential of large urban parks as refuges for box turtles, which we may answer by future studies that compare box turtles living in multiple urban and rural settings. Our preliminary data suggest that even the largest urban parks may not be able to sustain populations of box turtles which has severe implications as urbanization continues to degrade and eliminate box turtle habitat throughout their range.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6882770PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00412DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

box turtles
32
forest park
16
annual survival
12
box
9
turtles
9
three-toed box
8
turtles sites
8
sites missouri
8
survival adult
8
urban parks
8

Similar Publications

Objective: To compare head-started and free-ranging eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina) blood analytes to evaluate head-starting practices and venipuncture site suitability.

Methods: Eastern box turtles were head-started by Jekyll Island State Park Authority's Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Free-ranging resident box turtles on Jekyll Island State Park were captured.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Developing and validating a multiplex hydrolysis probe-based quantitative PCR assay for the detection of four pathogens in chelonians.

J Virol Methods

February 2025

Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61802, USA; Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Many wildlife conservation efforts focus on understanding the impact of multiple pathogens on species, rather than just one, to improve success rates.
  • Researchers created a multiplex quantitative PCR assay to simultaneously detect four pathogens affecting eastern box turtles, showing high consistency and reliability in results.
  • This assay serves as a quick diagnostic tool for monitoring these pathogens, aiding in future studies on how they affect turtle populations and health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Low average shoreline change rate in 51 years on the raised Aldabra Atoll.

Sci Rep

November 2024

Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.

Article Synopsis
  • Atolls, like Aldabra, are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and declining sediment supply, leading to faster erosion and loss of adaptive capacity.
  • A study using aerial and satellite imagery from 1960 to 2011 revealed that while 61% of Aldabra's shoreline remained stable, 24% experienced minor changes, with erosion and accretion rates being almost balanced.
  • The research emphasizes the importance of ongoing shoreline monitoring to protect unique ecosystems and suggests that maintaining sediment availability is vital for enabling atolls to adapt to changing conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Blastocystis is a single-celled protist that lives in the intestines of various hosts, including humans, and may cause a range of health issues from gastrointestinal problems to skin disorders.
  • The study investigated the prevalence of Blastocystis in insects like cockroaches, houseflies, and crickets, as well as in sea turtles, using microscopic and molecular techniques.
  • Results showed low infection rates (4.44% in insects, 7.7% in sea turtles), but highlighted the importance of understanding Blastocystis's genetic diversity and potential reservoirs to improve public health measures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome of chelonians (testudines) plays an important role in their metabolism, nutrition, and overall health but the GI microbiome of three-toed box turtles () has yet to be characterized. How the GI microbiome responds to rapidly rising environmental temperatures has also not been studied extensively in ectotherms, specifically chelonians. In this study, twenty (20) were split into control and experimental groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!