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Iverson JB. Climate-Mediated Recruitment Failure in a Turtle Population and Its Bearing on Northern Limits of Distribution. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1554.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John B. Iverson
- Department of Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana 47374 USA []
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2
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Donini J, Speer R, Morton J. Reproductive Phenology and Output in Florida Box Turtles (Terrapene bauri) in Southwestern Florida. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1539.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordan Donini
- Florida SouthWestern State College, 7505 Grand Lely Drive, Naples, Florida 34113 USA []
| | - Rebecca Speer
- City of Naples, Community Services Department, 280 Riverside Circle, Naples, Florida 34102 USA []
| | - John Morton
- Humane Society Naples Veterinary Clinic, 370 Airport-Pulling Road, Naples, Florida 34104 USA []
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Jorgewich-Cohen G, Henrique RS, Dias PH, Sánchez-Villagra MR. The evolution of reproductive strategies in turtles. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13014. [PMID: 35295558 PMCID: PMC8919852 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Optimal egg size theory assumes that changes in the egg and clutch are driven by selection, resulting in adjustments for the largest possible production of offspring with the highest fitness. Evidence supports the idea that large-bodied turtles tend to produce larger clutches with small and round eggs, while smaller species produce small clutches with large and elongated eggs. Our goals were to investigate whether egg and clutch size follow the predictions of egg size theory, if there are convergent reproductive strategies, and identify ecological factors that influence clutch and egg traits across all clades of living turtles. Using phylogenetic methods, we tested the covariance among reproductive traits, if they are convergent among different turtle lineages, and which ecological factors influence these traits. We found that both egg shape and size inversely correlate with clutch size, although with different evolutionary rates, following the predictions of the egg size theory. We also present compelling evidence for convergence among different turtle clades, over at least two reproductive strategies. Furthermore, climatic zone is the only ecological predictor to influence both egg size and fecundity, while diet only influences egg size. We conclude that egg and clutch traits in Testudines evolved independently several times across non-directly related clades that converged to similar reproductive strategies. Egg and clutch characteristics follow the trade-offs predicted by egg size theory and are influenced by ecological factors. Climatic zone and diet play an important role in the distribution of reproductive characteristics among turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rafael S. Henrique
- Laboratório de Anfíbios, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique Dias
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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Hedrick AR, Greene DU, Lewis EL, Hood AS, Iverson JB. Climate effects on nesting phenology in Nebraska turtles. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:1225-1239. [PMID: 33598126 PMCID: PMC7863389 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
A frequent response of organisms to climate change is altering the timing of reproduction, and advancement of reproductive timing has been a common reaction to warming temperatures in temperate regions. We tested whether this pattern applied to two common North American turtle species over the past three decades in Nebraska, USA. The timing of nesting (either first date or average date) of the Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) was negatively correlated with mean December maximum temperatures of the preceding year and mean May minimum and maximum temperatures in the nesting year and positively correlated with precipitation in July of the previous year. Increased temperatures during the late winter and spring likely permit earlier emergence from hibernation, increased metabolic rates and feeding opportunities, and accelerated vitellogenesis, ovulation, and egg shelling, all of which could drive earlier nesting. However, for the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), the timing of nesting was positively correlated with mean minimum temperatures in September, October, December of the previous year, February of the nesting year, and April precipitation. These results suggest warmer fall, and winter temperature may impose an increased metabolic cost to painted turtles that impedes fall vitellogenesis, and April rains may slow the completion of vitellogenesis through decreased basking opportunities. For both species, nest deposition was highly correlated with body size, and larger females nested earlier in the season. Although average annual ambient temperatures have increased over the last four decades of our overall fieldwork at our study site, spring temperatures have not yet increased, and hence, nesting phenology has not advanced at our site for Chelydra. While Chrysemys exhibited a weak trend toward later nesting, this response was likely due to increased recruitment of smaller females into the population due to nest protection and predator control (Procyon lotor) in the early 2000s. Should climate change result in an increase in spring temperatures, nesting phenology would presumably respond accordingly, conditional on body size variation within these populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley R. Hedrick
- Department of BiologyEarlham CollegeRichmondINUSA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal BiologyIowa State UniversityAmesIAUSA
| | | | - Erin L. Lewis
- Department of BiologyEarlham CollegeRichmondINUSA
- Department of BiologyUtah State UniversityLoganUTUSA
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Taylor EN, Diele‐Viegas LM, Gangloff EJ, Hall JM, Halpern B, Massey MD, Rödder D, Rollinson N, Spears S, Sun B, Telemeco RS. The thermal ecology and physiology of reptiles and amphibians: A user's guide. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 335:13-44. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily N. Taylor
- Biological Sciences Department California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo California
| | | | | | - Joshua M. Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences Auburn University Auburn Alabama
| | | | - Melanie D. Massey
- Department of Biology Dalhousie University Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Dennis Rödder
- Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig Bonn Germany
| | - Njal Rollinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Toronto St. Toronto Ontario Canada
- School of the Environment University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada
| | - Sierra Spears
- Department of Zoology Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware Ohio
| | - Bao‐jun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Rory S. Telemeco
- Department of Biology California State University Fresno California
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Piczak ML, Markle CE, Chow-Fraser P. Decades of Road Mortality Cause Severe Decline in a Common Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) Population from an Urbanized Wetland. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1345.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan L. Piczak
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1 Canada [; ; ]
| | - Chantel E. Markle
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1 Canada [; ; ]
| | - Patricia Chow-Fraser
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1 Canada [; ; ]
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Iverson JB, Lindeman PV, Lovich JE. Understanding reproductive allometry in turtles: A slippery "slope". Ecol Evol 2019; 9:11891-11903. [PMID: 31695895 PMCID: PMC6822033 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Measures of reproductive output in turtles are generally positively correlated with female body size. However, a full understanding of reproductive allometry in turtles requires logarithmic transformation of reproductive and body size variables prior to regression analyses. This allows for slope comparisons with expected linear or cubic relationships for linear to linear and linear to volumetric variables, respectively. We compiled scaling data using this approach from published and unpublished turtle studies (46 populations of 25 species from eight families) to quantify patterns among taxa. Our results suggest that for log-log comparisons of clutch size, egg width, egg mass, clutch mass, and pelvic aperture width to shell length, all scale hypoallometrically despite theoretical predictions of isometry. Clutch size generally scaled at ~1.7 to 2.0 (compared to an isometric expectation of 3.0), egg width at ~0.5 (compared to an expectation of 1.0), egg mass at ~1.1 to 1.3 (3.0), clutch mass at ~2.5 to 2.8 (3.0), and pelvic aperture width at 0.8-0.9 (1.0). We also found preliminary evidence that scaling may differ across years and clutches even in the same population, as well as across populations of the same species. Future investigators should aspire to collect data on all these reproductive parameters and to report log-log allometric analyses to test our preliminary conclusions regarding reproductive allometry in turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter V. Lindeman
- Department of Biology and Health SciencesEdinboro University of PennsylvaniaEdinboroPAUSA
| | - Jeffrey E. Lovich
- U.S. Geological SurveySouthwest Biological Science CenterFlagstaffAZUSA
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Abstract
Climate change is occurring at an unprecedented rate and has begun to modify the distribution and phenology of organisms worldwide. Chelonians are expected to be particularly vulnerable due to limited dispersal capabilities as well as widespread temperature-dependent sex determination. The number of papers published about the effects of climate change on turtles has increased exponentially over the last decade; here, I review the data from peer-reviewed publications to assess the likely impacts of climate change on individuals, populations, and communities. Based upon these studies future research should focus on: (1) Individual responses to climate change, particularly with respect to thermal biology, phenology, and microhabitat selection; (2) improving species distribution models by incorporating fine-scale environmental variables as well as physiological processes; (3) identifying the consequences of skewed sex ratios; and (4) assessments of community resilience and the development of methods to mitigate climate change impacts. Although detailed management recommendations are not possible at this point, careful consideration should be given regarding how to manage low vagility species as habitats shift poleward. In the worst-case scenario, proactive management may be required in order to ensure that widespread losses do not occur.
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Hatase H, Omuta K. Seasonal and annual variations in egg mass and clutch size for Loggerhead Sea Turtles ( Caretta caretta): experienced females lay heavier eggs. CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Organisms modify reproductive traits adaptively or non-adaptively in response to temporal environmental variation. Long-lived iteroparous sea turtles are ideal animals to examine such temporal shifts in resource allocation. We analyzed seasonal shifts in egg mass and clutch size for Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758)) nesting at a temperate rookery (Yakushima Island, Japan) over a 2-year period, as well as annual variation in egg mass and clutch size over a 5-year period. Egg mass and clutch size, adjusted for female body size, did not vary seasonally at both the population and individual levels. Adjusted egg mass showed significant annual variation, despite a lack of annual variation in adjusted clutch size. Thus, Loggerhead Sea Turtles are unlikely to exhibit adaptive seasonal variation in reproductive traits, whereas they vary egg size non-adaptively in response to annual environmental conditions. Although experienced Loggerhead Sea Turtles laid heavier eggs, the annual variation in egg mass was not attributable either to breeding experience of the sampled females or to ambient temperature during follicular development, implying that other factors are involved, such as resource availability. Our data show that egg size is a more plastic reproductive trait than clutch size for Loggerhead Sea Turtles inhabiting the North Pacific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Hatase
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Omuta
- Yakushima Sea Turtle Research Group, 489-8 Nagata, Yakushima, Kagoshima 891-4201, Japan
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Long-Term Variation in Survival of A Neotropical Freshwater Turtle: Habitat and Climatic Influences. DIVERSITY 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11060097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Few long-term demographic studies have been conducted on freshwater turtles of South America, despite the need for this type of inquiry to investigate natural variation and strengthen conservation efforts for these species. In this study, we examined the variation in demography of the Chocoan River Turtle (Rhinoclemmys nasuta) based on a population from an island locality in the Colombian Pacific region between 2005 and 2017. We calculated survival, recapture, and transition probabilities, and the effects of stream substrate and El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phases (El Niño, Neutral, La Niña) on these variables using a multi-state model. We found differences in survival probabilities between ENSO phases, likely as a consequence of an increase in flood events. In addition, we found support for survival being greater in muddy streams than rocky streams, possibly because it is easier to escape or hide in mud substrates. Recapture probabilities varied by life stages; differences in the probability of recapture between size classes were associated with the high fidelity to territories by adults. The present increases in frequency and severity of El Niño and La Niña may exacerbate the consequences of climatic regimes on natural populations of turtles by increasing the mortality caused by drastic phenomena such as floods.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Delaney
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Fredric J Janzen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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