Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
Wood turtle--Home range--Iowa; Suburban animals--Home range--Iowa;
Abstract
Home range size, movement patterns, and site fidelity of wood turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) were compared between a suburban population in Black Hawk County (BH) and a rural population in Butler County (BC), Iowa. Approximately 89% of individuals captured for studies conducted in Iowa during 2014 and 2015 were >14 years old. 45 individuals (22 females, 18 males, and 5 juveniles) were used for radio telemetry surveys in 2014–2015, 24 of which were located in BC, and 21 at BH.
Home range size of male and female wood turtles was significantly different at the 100% Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP), 95% MCP, and 50% MCP levels, with male home range significantly larger than females in both populations. Male linear home range (LHR) and stream home range (SHR) was also significantly larger than those of females and juveniles. There was no significant difference in home range sizes between the two populations. Out of the seven criteria analyzed (body mass, carapace length, sex, injury class, total locations, age, and study site), sex had the greatest influence on the size of home range of wood turtles.
Wood turtles in Iowa had a high degree of site fidelity and displayed similar home range size between 2014 and 2015. Site fidelity was similar, and not significantly different between sexes, with females having a slightly higher degree of site fidelity. Site fidelity between the populations was nearly identical in 2014 and 2015. Overall, home range size remained fairly consistent at BH over the course of a 5-year period, and at BC over a 10-year time period. Year-to-year fidelity decreased over time in some instances (between 2011 and 2015), while remaining high in others (between 2004 and 2015).
Year of Submission
2017
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Department of Biology
First Advisor
Jeffery W. Tamplin
Date Original
2017
Object Description
1 PDF file (xii, 148 pages)
Copyright
©2017 Joshua Gregory Otten
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Otten, Joshua Gregory, "Factors influencing wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) home range size in Iowa: A comparison between suburban and rural populations" (2017). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 466.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/466
