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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Activity Patterns Among Head-Started Juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Parker R. Golliglee
Activity Patterns Among Head-Started Juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Parker R. Golliglee
MSU Graduate Theses
In contrast to many species of aquatic turtle, Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) are putatively nocturnal. Data supporting this assertion are chiefly anecdotal, however, and two recent studies cast doubt on this generalization. Differences in activity patterns may be related to variability in temperature and photoperiod across the species’ range and may be influenced by ontogenetic changes, as well. To assess this, I equipped juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles spanning a range of different ages with activity data loggers. I used 4-year-old turtles were to measure latitudinal differences in activity which were reared in hatchery ponds spanning the species’ …
Stress And Body Composition Of Juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Brandon Scott Tappmeyer
Stress And Body Composition Of Juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Brandon Scott Tappmeyer
MSU Graduate Theses
The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii), is a species of conservation concern that is the subject of multiple head-start and reintroduction efforts across its range. In captive propagation programs, producing offspring that are in optimal physiological condition maximizes the likelihood of success after release. The purpose of my study was to compare stress and body composition between one free-ranging reintroduced population and two captive populations. The two captive populations were both housed in southern Oklahoma, but one group was reared indoors whereas the other inhabited outdoor ponds at a national fish hatchery. I used circulating glucocorticoid (corticosterone) concentrations as an …
Increasing Alligator Snapping Turtle Head-Starting Success Through Housing Enrichment And Inoculation Of Hatchlings With Digestive Microbiota, Kristen Erin Sardina
Increasing Alligator Snapping Turtle Head-Starting Success Through Housing Enrichment And Inoculation Of Hatchlings With Digestive Microbiota, Kristen Erin Sardina
MSU Graduate Theses
Due to historic overharvest and habitat degradation, the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) has experienced population declines throughout its range. Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery in southern Oklahoma began a captive head-start program for this species in 2000 and has since released over 1,400 turtles in the region. However, there has been a recurring trend of turtles growing faster after release than while in captivity. My research sought to investigate this pattern by determining: 1) the influence of housing enrichment and housing density on juvenile growth rates and stress in indoor enclosures, and 2) the effects of supplementing hatchlings …
Ecology Of Hatchling Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Sarah J. Spangler
Ecology Of Hatchling Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii), Sarah J. Spangler
MSU Graduate Theses
Little is known about the first year of life for many of the world’s freshwater turtles. This is due in part to their cryptic nature and the difficulty of locating hatchlings in the wild. The lack of information about this demographically important age group has led researchers to draw conclusions from indirect inferences about survival rates and ecological roles of hatchlings that may or may not be accurate. To begin filling in some of these gaps, I focused on the first year in an alligator snapping turtle’s life. I studied: (1) circadian and circannual patterns of activity, (2) growth rates …
Effect Of Ingestion By Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii) On Seeds Of Riparian Vegetation, Jean Pierre Elbers
Effect Of Ingestion By Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys Temminckii) On Seeds Of Riparian Vegetation, Jean Pierre Elbers
MSU Graduate Theses
The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is a large freshwater turtle that inhabits many lotic water bodies in the Southeastern United States. The species consumes primarily fish but also consumes large amounts of vegetation including seeds of common persimmon (Diospyros virginiana), tupelos (Nyssa sp.), willow oak (Quercus phellos), and pecan (Carya illinoensis). Captive specimens of M. temminckii were fed samples of the above-mentioned seeds to assess how the species affects ingested seeds in order to evaluate the potential role this species may play as a seed disperser. The proportion of seeds defecated intact varied with species (57−99 %), was lowest …