TY - JOUR
T1 - Summer die-off of western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) along an intermittent coast range stream in central California
AU - Leidy, Robert A.
AU - Bogan, Michael T.
AU - Neuhaus, Linnea
AU - Rosetti, Leana
AU - Carlson, Stephanie M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Rose Hills Innovator Award at UC-Berkeley to SMC and a Smith Postdoctoral Fellowship to MTB. This work was also supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Animal Health project [1004229] to SMC.
PY - 2016/3
Y1 - 2016/3
N2 - During late summer and fall 2014, we documented western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) mortality, as indicated by the presence of turtle shells, along a 3.7-km reach of Coyote Creek in the Diablo Range of central California. In total, we observed 39 western pond turtle shells scattered irregularly along our study reach. Shells were found in dry reaches adjacent to or close to pools containing live turtles, as well as in or adjacent to dry pools in isolated dry reaches. Ninety percent of shells observed contained no carcass, and several shells showed evidence of predation. Though the cause of mortality is unclear, our observations confirm that western pond turtles may experience high mortality during droughts, which could result in significant population decline. The presence of live turtles in refugial pools emphasizes the importance of protecting and managing permanent pools in the face of intensified drought conditions.
AB - During late summer and fall 2014, we documented western pond turtle (Actinemys marmorata) mortality, as indicated by the presence of turtle shells, along a 3.7-km reach of Coyote Creek in the Diablo Range of central California. In total, we observed 39 western pond turtle shells scattered irregularly along our study reach. Shells were found in dry reaches adjacent to or close to pools containing live turtles, as well as in or adjacent to dry pools in isolated dry reaches. Ninety percent of shells observed contained no carcass, and several shells showed evidence of predation. Though the cause of mortality is unclear, our observations confirm that western pond turtles may experience high mortality during droughts, which could result in significant population decline. The presence of live turtles in refugial pools emphasizes the importance of protecting and managing permanent pools in the face of intensified drought conditions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84973441411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84973441411&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1894/0038-4909-61.1.71
DO - 10.1894/0038-4909-61.1.71
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84973441411
SN - 0038-4909
VL - 61
SP - 71
EP - 74
JO - Southwestern Naturalist
JF - Southwestern Naturalist
IS - 1
ER -