Ecological effects of major injuries in diamondback terrapins: implications for conservation and management

Cecala, Kristen K.; Gibbons, J. Whitfield; Dorcas, Michael E.

doi:10.1002/aqc.999

Cited by 24 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Recreational boats may affect aquatic animals directly by causing injury or mortality and indirectly through behavioral or physiological responses to anthropogenic sounds. Many aquatic species are directly affected by recreational boat propeller strikes including crocodiles [2], turtles [3], birds [4], and marine mammals [5]. Behavioral and physiological responses or the lack thereof of aquatic animals to boat sounds may lead to reduced fitness by lowering survival rates and/or reproductive rates [6], [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, it is logical to conclude that turtles can hear and possibly avoid oncoming boats. However, some populations of diamondback terrapins ( Malaclemys terrapin ) along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States experience high (6 to 20%) rates of injuries from anthropogenic sources [3], [14]–[16]. Thus, terrapins may not respond behaviorally to avoid boats.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, terrapins may not respond behaviorally to avoid boats. Boat injuries also reduce body condition of male terrapins and survivorship of both male and female terrapins [3]. Mortality can also occur via blunt-force trauma from being hit by a boat or lethal injury from a propeller [17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Recreational Boats and Turtles: Behavioral Mismatches Result in High Rates of Injury

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recreational boats are a dominant feature of estuarine waters in the United States. Boat strike injury and mortality may have a detrimental effect on populations of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin), a keystone species in estuarine ecosystems. In Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, 11% of terrapins (n = 2,644) have scars consistent with injuries from boats. Conservative estimates of injury rates from boats increased from 2006 to 2011. When exposed to playback recordings of approaching boat engines of varying sizes and speeds in situ, terrapins did not significantly change their behavior in response to sounds of boat engines of different sizes. The lack of behavioral response of terrapins to boat sounds helps explain high rates of injury and mortality of terrapins and may threaten the viability of terrapin populations. Boater education courses that discuss impacts of boats to wildlife, combined with closure of areas of high terrapin densities to boating, are necessary to protect terrapins and other aquatic species from injury and mortality caused by motorized boats.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Recreational Boats and Turtles: Behavioral Mismatches Result in High Rates of Injury

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Dorcas et al (2007) studied the population at the Kiawah Island from 1983 to 2004, documented a population decline, and found changes in demography (shift toward older, larger turtles and a female-biased population) consistent with declines resulting from mortality in crab traps. Increased recreational activities, crab trapping, and land-use change in this rapidly developing area may be causing continued declines in this population of terrapins; however, estimates of annual survivorship of this population have not been quantified since 2000 Cecala et al 2008). Given the high site-fidelity of terrapins for particular creeks Szerlag-Egger and McRobert 2007), demographic parameters may exhibit spatial variability; thus continued estimates of survivorship are particularly important for monitoring the current status of this imperiled population.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and Spatial Variation in Survivorship of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin)

Witczak

Guzy

Price

et al. 2014

Chelonian Conservation and Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) is a species of conservation concern that has experienced noticeable declines throughout its range. Mark-recapture studies have been conducted on terrapins at Kiawah Island, South Carolina, since 1983, and during the early 1990s, this population began to decline. Our objectives were to evaluate current spatial and temporal variation in survivorship and compare current estimates of survivorship with those calculated from 1983 to 1999 in a previous study. We used an 11-year data set (2003 to 2013) in a capturemark-recapture analysis to estimate the survivorship of terrapins in 5 creeks. Among creeks, annual survivorship estimates ranged from 61% to 82% with no difference between the sexes. Survivorship was lower than that documented for this population in the early 1990s. Recent anthropogenic habitat modification, such as the construction of docks, roads, and housing developments, as well as activities such as crab-trapping, likely play a role in low annual survivorship. Results from this long-term study are essential for understanding terrapin population status and can inform conservation and coastal ecosystem management.

show abstract

“…When unchecked by predators, L. irrorata can defoliate a marsh in as little as 8 mo (Silliman & Bertness 2002). Adult terrapins in turn are prey of bald eagles (Clark 1982) and may be eaten by toadfish and crabs (Cecala et al 2008). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bycatch reduction device conserves diamondback terrapin without affecting catch of blue crab

Rook¹,

Lipcius²,

Bronner³

et al. 2010

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Bycatch mortality of non-target species in fisheries is a major threat to the conservation and restoration of marine and estuarine species. Attempts to reduce bycatch by fitting fishing gear with excluder devices have typically been met with resistance due to reductions in catch of target species. We examined the possibility that conservation and fishery goals could be met simultaneously. In lower Chesapeake Bay, we tested a mechanism for reducing bycatch of diamondback terrapin Malaclemys terrapin in blue-crab traps without affecting crab catch. Over 23 sampling dates during summer 2008, we compared terrapin captures at 2 shallow-water sites typical of recreational crabbing, using 10 paired sets of an un-baited trap fitted with bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) and a trap without BRDs at each site on each date. In a separate experiment, traps were baited and fished 4 times during the summer, when we recorded number, size, and condition of captured crabs. Of 48 terrapin captures in crab traps, only 2 were from traps fitted with BRDs. Crab catch (number, size, and biomass) was equivalent between traps with and without BRDs. Because BRDs are effective in excluding all but the smallest terrapins from entering crab traps and had no effect on crab catch, BRDs are recommended for all recreational crab traps at this time and should be seriously considered for commercial traps throughout shallow estuarine waters. Combined with bycatch reduction policies in other North American estuaries, a comprehensive and effective strategy for the conservation of diamondback terrapin threatened by fisheries is emerging. 409: 171-179, 2010 mondback terrapin and the blue crab Callinectes sapidus fishery. The diamondback terrapin Malaclemys terrapin is the only turtle in North America to inhabit estuarine environments exclusively (Ernst et al. 1994). Terrapins, while generally considered Kselected species living in excess of 40 yr, become sexually mature between the ages of 6 and 13 yr, yet exhibit a reproductive strategy in which many eggs are produced but only a few survive to adulthood (Hildebrand 1932, Roosenburg & Green 2000. Terrapins are potentially keystone predators in estuarine ecosystems, feeding on prey such as crabs, mussels, salt marsh periwinkles, barnacles, and clams (Tucker et al. 1995, Silliman & Bertness 2002. The most abundant and common prey is the salt marsh periwinkle Littoraria irrorata, which comprises as much as 79% of the total food intake by mass in some areas (Coker 1920, Tucker et al. 1995. When unchecked by predators, L. irrorata can defoliate a marsh in as little as 8 mo (Silliman & Bertness 2002). Adult terrapins in turn are prey of bald eagles (Clark 1982) and may be eaten by toadfish and crabs (Cecala et al. 2008). KEY WORDS: Bycatch reduction device · Diamondback terrapin · Blue crab · Trap mortality Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher OPEN PEN ACCESS CCESSMar Ecol Prog SerTerrapins have a long history of overexploitation, having been hunted to co...

show abstract

Ecological effects of major injuries in diamondback terrapins: implications for conservation and management

Cited by 24 publications

References 16 publications

Recreational Boats and Turtles: Behavioral Mismatches Result in High Rates of Injury

Recreational Boats and Turtles: Behavioral Mismatches Result in High Rates of Injury

Temporal and Spatial Variation in Survivorship of Diamondback Terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin)

Bycatch reduction device conserves diamondback terrapin without affecting catch of blue crab

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About