Natural history notes on nesting, nests, and hatchling emergence in the red-eared slider turtle, trachemys scripta elegans, in west-central Illinois

Tucker, John K.; Jeffords, Michael R.; Rice, Thomas E.; Warwick, Charles.; Illinois.,

doi:10.5962/bhl.title.15181

Cited by 35 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 9 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The slider turtle is ideally suited for this type of evaluation of the relationship between body shape, performance and early life‐stage survivorship. The ecology of hatchling sliders has been well studied in the field (Tucker 1997, 1999, 2000a, 2000b; Janzen et al . 2000a, 2007), and avian predation is one of the main selective forces on hatchling turtles (Janzen et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental analysis of body size and shape during critical life‐history events of hatchling slider turtles, Trachemys scripta elegans

Myers

Tucker²,

Chandler

2007

Functional Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary 1.A fundamental goal of examining life-histories is to identify those traits that enable organisms to move from one stage of life to another; however, traits that are important in one stage or event may not be important in subsequent cases. For long-lived taxa like turtles, studies of early life stages might be especially revealing because mortality is high during those times. 2. In this study, we examined several morphological characters in hatchling turtles to assess their relationships with hatchling performance and survival. We assessed hatchling plastron shape and body size during a release-recapture field experiment and in subsequent swimming performance trials in the laboratory. 3. Hatchling mass and plastron shape were correlated. Heavier turtles were relatively shorter and wider than lighter turtles. 4. Hatchling mass had a significant positive correlation with both recapture rate, a proxy measure of survivorship, and with swimming speed. 5. Plastron shape and recapture probability were not significantly correlated, but shape was a significant predictor of swimming performance. Shorter, wider turtles swam faster than longer, skinnier individuals. We hypothesize that this may be advantageous for quick-start swimming to escape predation, a function of longer legs, or improved range of motion. 6. These data support previous studies that demonstrated the importance of hatchling size for survival in the critical overland migration from nests to the water and also document the impact of body shape on basic life-history traits for neonatal turtles.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental analysis of body size and shape during critical life‐history events of hatchling slider turtles, Trachemys scripta elegans

Myers

Tucker²,

Chandler

2007

Functional Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Butler and Graham (1995) found that rainfall during the previous 24 h was not necessary for inducing emergence in Emydoidea blandingii. Similarly, DePari (1996) found an imperfect association between rainfall and emergence in Chrysemys picta, and Tucker (1997) found no association between the presence or magnitude of rainfall and the emergence of Trachemys scripta hatchlings.…”

Section: Timing Of Emergence Embryonic Aestivation and Onset Of Thementioning

confidence: 94%

Embryonic aestivation and emergence behaviour in the pig-nosed turtle, <i>Carettochelys insculpta</i>

Doody¹,

Georges²,

Young³

et al. 2001

Can. J. Zool.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Two related aspects of hatchling emergence were studied in a population of pig-nosed turtles (Carettochelys insculpta) in northern Australia. Using emergence phenology data, nest temperatures, historical weather data, and a developmental model, we tested the hypothesis that delayed hatching occurs in C. insculpta, and that such a delay would allow hatchlings to time their emergence to match the onset of the wet season. Carettochelys insculpta hatchlings emerged, on average, 17 days after dates predicted from a developmental model. Combined with observations of hatchlings remaining in eggs until emergence, these results confirmed delayed hatching in nature. This delay was synchronized with initial river rises associated with the onset of wet-season rains, and is consistent with published criteria for embryonic aestivation. On a diel scale, we generated predictions of two potentially competing models of nocturnal emergence in hatchling turtles based on the knowledge that air temperatures decrease with season during the emergence period. A test of these predictions for C. insculpta produced ambiguous results. However, further analysis indicated that C. insculpta, and probably other nocturnally emerging turtle species, respond to a decline in diel temperature rather than to an absolute temperature. The former would ensure nocturnal emergence, while the latter is experienced during the day as well as at night. Nocturnal emergence may be associated with nesting in open microhabitats.Résumé : Nous avons étudié deux aspects interreliés de l'éclosion chez une population de Tortues palustres (Carettochelys insculpta) du nord de l'Australie. Nous avons utilisé des données sur la phénologie de l'émergence, les tempéra-tures au nid, les conditions climatiques du passé, ainsi qu'un modèle de développement, pour tester l'hypothèse selon laquelle l'éclosion est tardive chez C. insculpta et qu'un tel retard permet aux petites tortues de synchroniser leur émergence avec le début de la saison humide. Les C. insculpta néonates ont émergé, en moyenne, 17 jours plus tard que prévu par un modèle de développement. Cette émergence tardive, combinée à l'observation de petites tortues restant dans les oeufs jusqu'à l'émergence, confirme l'émergence tardive en nature. Ce retard est synchronisé à la première crue des rivières associée au début de la saison humide et s'accorde avec les critères de la littérature sur l'estivation des embryons. Deux modèles potentiellement opposés ont généré, sur une échelle de 24 h, des prédictions d'une émergence nocturne chez les tortues néonates, tenant compte que les températures saisonnières baissent pendant la période d'émergence. Un test sur ces prédictions a produit des résultats ambigus dans le cas de C. insculpta. Cependant, une analyse subséquente indique que C. insculpta, et probablement aussi d'autres espèces à émergence nocturne, réagit à une chute de température journalière plutôt qu'à une température absolue. La chute journalière de température entraîne une émergence nocturne, alors que la temp...

show abstract

“…Their young tend to hatch during the rising annual hydrograph, in order to shorten the gauntlet of avian and mammalian predators that they must face as they emerge from the nests and flee to the nearest body of water (Tucker, 1997).…”

Section: Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forty years of science and management on the Upper Mississippi River: an analysis of the past and a view of the future

Sparks

2010

Hydrobiologia

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The articles in this volume of Hydrobiologia commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Mississippi River Research Consortium by synthesizing research and monitoring conducted on the river over the past 40 years. This article briefly describes the recent history of development (since 1866) of the river and the programs that currently support monitoring, research, and rehabilitation of the river. These programs have generated much of the information reported in the articles, which cover hydrology and geomorphology, contaminants, nutrients, plants, reptiles and amphibians, food webs, and concepts of river ecology. The Upper Mississippi River is still responding to changes that occurred 70 or more years ago (construction of navigation dams, leveeing of the floodplains, and intensification of agriculture in the catchment) and to new stressors (climate change, invasive species, hormone-disrupting chemicals). Nevertheless, the river continues to attract 12 million visitors per year along the scenic Great River Road,

show abstract

Natural history notes on nesting, nests, and hatchling emergence in the red-eared slider turtle, trachemys scripta elegans, in west-central Illinois

Cited by 35 publications

References 9 publications

Experimental analysis of body size and shape during critical life‐history events of hatchling slider turtles, Trachemys scripta elegans

Experimental analysis of body size and shape during critical life‐history events of hatchling slider turtles, Trachemys scripta elegans

Embryonic aestivation and emergence behaviour in the pig-nosed turtle, <i>Carettochelys insculpta</i>

Forty years of science and management on the Upper Mississippi River: an analysis of the past and a view of the future

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About