DESCRIPTION AND COMPARISON OF TURTLE ASSEMBLAGES AND POPULATIONS LOCATED WITHIN A SPRING-FED RIVER

作者：Pitt Amber L^*; Nickerson Max A

来源：Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 2014, 9(3): 475-483.

• Graptemys geographica
• habitat
• Northern Map Turtle
• population
• river turtle assemblage

Turtle populations and assemblages are influenced by and may vary with abiotic factors. Rivers are inherently spatially variable and river turtle assemblages may differ among abiotically distinct sections of the same river. The North Fork of White River (NFWR), Ozark County, Missouri, is characterized by a distinct, spring-generated thermal gradient and has been subjected to varying degrees of human impact along its course. We provide baseline data of a turtle assemblage located within a section of the NFWR that flows through Mark Twain National Forest (MTNF). The turtle assemblage, population size of the predominant species, and habitat within MTNF were compared with those observed in and previously reported for a section of the same river that is typified by a differing thermal regime and located outside of MTNF. In both turtle assemblages, the Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) was the predominant species, but the turtle assemblages varied in composition, species richness, and heterogeneity despite being separated by only 16 river km. The river section located within MTNF was less degraded than the river section adjacent to less-forested areas, suggesting the importance of intact forests and public lands for maintaining water quality and river turtle habitat, populations, and assemblages.

• 出版日期2014-12