Demographics of Common Snapping Turtles (<i>Chelydra serpentina</i>): Implications for Conservation and Management of Long-lived Organisms

Congdon, Justin D.; Dunham, Arthur E.; Sels, Richard C. van Loben

doi:10.1093/icb/34.3.397

Cited by 470 publications

(342 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This genetic situation is analogous to the demographic situation facing long-lived organisms where adults are targeted for removal. Delayed sexual maturity of these organisms provides a juvenile pool that can buffer the chronic disturbance, but can also mask the inevitable population extinction (Congdon et al 1993;Congdon et al 1994;Heppell 1998).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This finding suggests that the current 150-ha habitat of the IL population might be adequate to support the desirable census population size of 700. Previous studies identified adult survival as being vital in the management of declining populations of long-lived organisms (Lande 1988;Congdon et al 1993;Congdon et al 1994;Heppell 1998;Belzer 2002). Mortality of the species is high at the juvenile stage, but declines substantially when the animals reach maturation: survivorship of adults is estimated at 81-96% year À1 (Blair 1976;Metcalf and Metcalf 1985;Doroff and Keith 1990).…”

Section: Conservation Guidelines For the Il Populationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Genetic Effects of a Persistent Bottleneck on a Natural Population of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata)

Kuo

Janzen

2004

Conservation Genetics

139

105

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Human activities in the past few hundred years have caused enormous impacts on many ecosystems, greatly accelerating the rate of population decline and extinction. In addition to habitat alteration and destruction, the loss of genetic diversity due to reduced population size has become a major conservation issue for many imperiled species. However, the genetic effects of persistent population bottlenecks can be very different for long-lived and short-lived species when considering the time scale of centuries. To investigate the genetic effects of persistent population bottlenecks on long-lived species, we use microsatellite markers to assess the level of genetic diversity of a small ornate box turtle population that has experienced a persistent bottleneck in the past century, and compare it to a large relatively undisturbed population. The genetic signature of a recent bottleneck is detected by examining the deviation from mutation-drift equilibrium in the small population, but the bottleneck had little effect on its level of genetic diversity. Computer simulations combined with information on population structure suggest that an effective population size of 300, which results in a census population size of 700, would be required for the small population to maintain 90% of the average number of alleles per locus in the next 200 years. The life history of long-lived species could mask the accelerated rate of genetic drift, making population recovery a relatively slow process. Statistical analysis of genetic data and empirical-based computer simulations can be important tools to facilitate conservation planning.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Conservation Guidelines For the Il Populationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Effects of a Persistent Bottleneck on a Natural Population of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata)

Kuo

Janzen

2004

Conservation Genetics

139

105

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“…Turtle demography is characterized by relatively high nest and embryonic mortality, delayed sexual maturity, and high adult survivorship (Congdon et al, 1993(Congdon et al, , 1994, rendering populations particularly sensitive to decline when there is a loss of sexually mature individuals (Brooks et al, 1991;Gibbs and Shriver, 2002;Heppell, 1998). Thus, a synopsis of distances traveled overland by nesting females could generate useful targets for conservation planning to protect critical population segments.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terrestrial habitat requirements of nesting freshwater turtles

Steen

Gibbs

Buhlmann

et al. 2012

Biological Conservation

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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 forMalaclemys 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 (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. 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.

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“…was not one that was eaten) we are confident that our findings are a fair representation of P. unifilis consumption in the region. The low levels of adult consumption is encouraging for conservation activities as the adult phase of long lived turtles is important for population persistence (CONGDON et al 1994, MOGOLLONES et al 2010), yet the occurrence and intensity of egg consumption is cause for concern as it has been shown to cause drastic population reductions across Amazonia (see reviews by THORBJARNARSON et al 2000 andVOGT 2008), particularly when compared with the abundances reported by early Amazon explorers (MEDINA 1934, MITTERMEIER 1978, JOHNS 1987). …”

Section: Turtle Egg Consumptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Socio-economic and spatial determinants of anthropogenic predation on Yellow-spotted River Turtle, Podocnemis unifilis (Testudines: Pelomedusidae), nests in the Brazilian Amazon: Implications for sustainable conservation and management

Norris¹,

Michalski²

2013

Zoologia (Curitiba)

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Demographics of Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina): Implications for Conservation and Management of Long-lived Organisms

Cited by 470 publications

References 15 publications

Genetic Effects of a Persistent Bottleneck on a Natural Population of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata)

Genetic Effects of a Persistent Bottleneck on a Natural Population of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata)

Terrestrial habitat requirements of nesting freshwater turtles

Socio-economic and spatial determinants of anthropogenic predation on Yellow-spotted River Turtle, Podocnemis unifilis (Testudines: Pelomedusidae), nests in the Brazilian Amazon: Implications for sustainable conservation and management

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