Northeastern Naturalist 21(4):554-564. 2014
Todd S. Fredericksen*
* Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA 24088; [email protected].
Manuscript Editor: Thomas Maier
Abstract
While Terrapene Carolina Carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) are found over a wide geographic range, they appear to select microhabitats based on the need for thermoregulation, minimization of water loss, and reproduction. Habitat selection and the activity patterns of Eastern Box Turtles in southwestern Virginia were studied in relation to short-term weather conditions and seasonal variation. Turtles were located using telemetry 36% of the time in the interior of mature forest habitats, 23% in edge habitats, 18% in fields, 7% in a 22-year-old Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine) plantation, 7% in forest canopy gaps, 5% in a 4-year-old clearcut, and 4% in streams. We observed a seasonal shift in habitat use, with more turtles using mature forest habitat compared to other habitat types in all months, except for May when 47% of all turtles were located in edge habitat. Also, Eastern Box Turtles often selected canopy gaps within forests during the fall, and females moved from forests to recent clearcuts during the nesting season, which accounted for a larger home-range size. As expected, turtle activity was lower during hot, dry periods in midsummer and decreased gradually during the autumn with decreasing temperature. Rainfall increased turtle activity, especially when following prolonged dry periods.
Literature Cited
Budischak, S.A, J.M. Hester, S.J. Price, and M E. Dorcas. 2006. Natural history of Terrapene Carolina (Box Turtles) in an urbanized landscape. Southeastern Naturalist 5: 191–204. BioOne
Congello, K. 1978. Nesting and egg-laying behavior in Terrapene Carolina. Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences 52: 51–56.
Dodd, C.K., Jr. 2001. North American Box Turtles: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK. 231 pp.
Dodd, C.K., Jr, R.F. Franz, and L.L. Smith. 1994. Activity patterns and habitat use of Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina bauri) on a Florida island, with recommendations for management. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1: 97–106.
Donaldson, B.M., and A.C. Echtemacht. 2005. Aquatic habitat use relative to home range and seasonal movement of Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina: Emydidae) in eastern Tennessee. Journal of Herpetology 39: 278–284. BioOne
Ellington, D., K. Ingram, T. Walker, and T.S. Fredericksen. 2007. Hibernation behavior of the Eastern Box Turtle in the Virginia Piedmont. Catesbeiana 27: 63–71.
Ernst, C.H. 1968. Evaporative water-loss relationships of turtles. Journal of Herpetology 2: 159–161. CrossRef
Ernst, C.H., J.E. Lovich, and R.W. Barbour. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC. 578 pp.
Fredericksen, T.S., and J.L. Bernard. 2010. Observations on the response of four Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina) to clearcut logging and chipping in southern Virginia. Catesbeiana 30: 3–9.
Fredericksen, T.S., K. Graves, and T. Pohlad-Thomas. 2006. Herpetofauna in logged and unlogged forest stands in south-central Virginia. Catesbeiana 26: 52–63.
Gibbs, J.P, and D.A. Steen. 2004. Trends in sex ratios of turtles in the United States: Implications of road mortality. Conservation Biology 19: 552–556. CrossRef
Hall, R.J., P.F.P. Henry, and C.M. Bunck. 1999. Fifty-year trends in a box turtle population in Maryland. Biological Conservation 88: 165–172. CrossRef
Jennings, A.H. 2007. Use of habitats and microenvironments by juvenile Florida Box Turtles, Terrapene Carolina bauri, on Egmont Key. Herpetologica 63: 1–10. BioOne
Reagan, D.P. 1974. Habitat selection of the Three-toed Box Turtle, Terrapene Carolina trilinguis. Copeia 1974: 512–527. CrossRef
Rossell, C.R. Jr, I.M. Rossell, and S. Patch. 2006. Microhabitat selection by Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. Carolina) in a North Carolina mountain wetland. Journal of Herpetology 40: 280–284. BioOne
Stickel, L.F. 1950. Populations and home-range relationships of the Box Turtle, Terrapene c. Carolina (Linnaeus). Ecological Monographs 20: 353–378. CrossRef
Stickel, L.F. 1989. Home-range behavior among Box Turtles (Terrapene c. Carolina) of a bottomland forest in Maryland. Journal of Herpetology 23: 40–44. CrossRef
Strass, P.K., K.J. Miles, B.S., Jr., McDonald, and I.K. Brisbm. 1982. An assessment of factors associated with the daytime use of resting forms by Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina). Journal of Herpetology 16: 320–322. CrossRef
Wilson, G.L., and C.H. Ernst. 2005. Reproductive ecology of the Terrapene Carolina Carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) in Central Virginia. Southeastern Naturalist 4: 689–702. BioOne
________________________________________________________________
Todd S. Fredericksen*
* Ferrum College, Ferrum, VA 24088; [email protected].
Manuscript Editor: Thomas Maier
Abstract
While Terrapene Carolina Carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) are found over a wide geographic range, they appear to select microhabitats based on the need for thermoregulation, minimization of water loss, and reproduction. Habitat selection and the activity patterns of Eastern Box Turtles in southwestern Virginia were studied in relation to short-term weather conditions and seasonal variation. Turtles were located using telemetry 36% of the time in the interior of mature forest habitats, 23% in edge habitats, 18% in fields, 7% in a 22-year-old Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine) plantation, 7% in forest canopy gaps, 5% in a 4-year-old clearcut, and 4% in streams. We observed a seasonal shift in habitat use, with more turtles using mature forest habitat compared to other habitat types in all months, except for May when 47% of all turtles were located in edge habitat. Also, Eastern Box Turtles often selected canopy gaps within forests during the fall, and females moved from forests to recent clearcuts during the nesting season, which accounted for a larger home-range size. As expected, turtle activity was lower during hot, dry periods in midsummer and decreased gradually during the autumn with decreasing temperature. Rainfall increased turtle activity, especially when following prolonged dry periods.
Literature Cited
Budischak, S.A, J.M. Hester, S.J. Price, and M E. Dorcas. 2006. Natural history of Terrapene Carolina (Box Turtles) in an urbanized landscape. Southeastern Naturalist 5: 191–204. BioOne
Congello, K. 1978. Nesting and egg-laying behavior in Terrapene Carolina. Proceedings of the Pennsylvania Academy of Sciences 52: 51–56.
Dodd, C.K., Jr. 2001. North American Box Turtles: A Natural History. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, OK. 231 pp.
Dodd, C.K., Jr, R.F. Franz, and L.L. Smith. 1994. Activity patterns and habitat use of Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina bauri) on a Florida island, with recommendations for management. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 1: 97–106.
Donaldson, B.M., and A.C. Echtemacht. 2005. Aquatic habitat use relative to home range and seasonal movement of Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina: Emydidae) in eastern Tennessee. Journal of Herpetology 39: 278–284. BioOne
Ellington, D., K. Ingram, T. Walker, and T.S. Fredericksen. 2007. Hibernation behavior of the Eastern Box Turtle in the Virginia Piedmont. Catesbeiana 27: 63–71.
Ernst, C.H. 1968. Evaporative water-loss relationships of turtles. Journal of Herpetology 2: 159–161. CrossRef
Ernst, C.H., J.E. Lovich, and R.W. Barbour. 1994. Turtles of the United States and Canada. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC. 578 pp.
Fredericksen, T.S., and J.L. Bernard. 2010. Observations on the response of four Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina) to clearcut logging and chipping in southern Virginia. Catesbeiana 30: 3–9.
Fredericksen, T.S., K. Graves, and T. Pohlad-Thomas. 2006. Herpetofauna in logged and unlogged forest stands in south-central Virginia. Catesbeiana 26: 52–63.
Gibbs, J.P, and D.A. Steen. 2004. Trends in sex ratios of turtles in the United States: Implications of road mortality. Conservation Biology 19: 552–556. CrossRef
Hall, R.J., P.F.P. Henry, and C.M. Bunck. 1999. Fifty-year trends in a box turtle population in Maryland. Biological Conservation 88: 165–172. CrossRef
Jennings, A.H. 2007. Use of habitats and microenvironments by juvenile Florida Box Turtles, Terrapene Carolina bauri, on Egmont Key. Herpetologica 63: 1–10. BioOne
Reagan, D.P. 1974. Habitat selection of the Three-toed Box Turtle, Terrapene Carolina trilinguis. Copeia 1974: 512–527. CrossRef
Rossell, C.R. Jr, I.M. Rossell, and S. Patch. 2006. Microhabitat selection by Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. Carolina) in a North Carolina mountain wetland. Journal of Herpetology 40: 280–284. BioOne
Stickel, L.F. 1950. Populations and home-range relationships of the Box Turtle, Terrapene c. Carolina (Linnaeus). Ecological Monographs 20: 353–378. CrossRef
Stickel, L.F. 1989. Home-range behavior among Box Turtles (Terrapene c. Carolina) of a bottomland forest in Maryland. Journal of Herpetology 23: 40–44. CrossRef
Strass, P.K., K.J. Miles, B.S., Jr., McDonald, and I.K. Brisbm. 1982. An assessment of factors associated with the daytime use of resting forms by Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene Carolina Carolina). Journal of Herpetology 16: 320–322. CrossRef
Wilson, G.L., and C.H. Ernst. 2005. Reproductive ecology of the Terrapene Carolina Carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) in Central Virginia. Southeastern Naturalist 4: 689–702. BioOne
________________________________________________________________
