Abundance of Juvenile Eastern Box Turtles Relative to Canopy Cover in Managed Forest Stands in Alabama

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary Felix ◽  
Yong Wang ◽  
Helen Czech ◽  
Callie J. Schweitzer
2012 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 326-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea F. Currylow ◽  
Brian J. Macgowan ◽  
Rod N. Williams

Author(s):  
Sh. Shataee ◽  
J. Mohammadi

Forest management plans are interesting to keep the forest stand natural composite and structure after silvicultural and management treatments. In order to investigate on stand differences made by management treatments, comparing of these stands with unmanaged stands as natural forests is necessary. Aerial laser scanners are providing suitable 3D information to map the horizontal and vertical characteristics of forest structures. In this study, different of canopy height and canopy cover variances between managed and unmanaged forest stands as well as in two dominant forest types were investigated using Lidar data in Dr. Bahramnia forest, Northern Iran. The in-situ information was gathered from 308 circular plots by a random systematic sampling designs. The low lidar cloud point data were used to generate accurate DEM and DSM models and plot-based height statistics metrics and canopy cover characteristics. The significant analyses were done by independent T-test between two stands in same dominant forest types. Results showed that there are no significant differences between canopy cover mean in two stands as well as forest types. Result of statistically analysis on height characteristics showed that there are a decreasing the forest height and its variance in the managed forest compared to unmanaged stands. In addition, there is a significant difference between maximum, range, and mean heights of two stands in 99 percent confidence level. However, there is no significant difference between standard deviation and canopy height variance of managed and unmanged stands. These results showd that accomplished management treatments and cuttings could lead to reducing of height variances and converting multi-layers stands to two or single layers. Results are also showed that the canopy cover densities in the managed forest stands are changing from high dense cover to dense cover.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-398
Author(s):  
Victoria L. Preston ◽  
Jessica M. Vannatta ◽  
Matthew Klukowski

Abstract In spite of the fully-hinged shell being the defining characteristic of box turtles, few studies have quantified the behavioural use of the shell in response to predator encounters. While it is often assumed that box turtles simply withdraw into their shell in response to threats, we expected variability among individuals in shell usage and in the degree of head and limb retraction because withdrawal is likely to be costly. We tested the behavioural and physiological responses of free-ranging eastern box turtles to stimuli of varying intensity: observation only, a visual stimulus, a poke on the leg, or a pinch on the leg before being flipped. The more intense the simulated predatory stimulus, the more likely turtles were to fully close their shell. However, stimulus intensity did not affect plasma corticosterone or lactate levels. This may be due to too brief or weak of a stimulus, increased parasympathetic activity, or seasonal effects. Upon capture and during handling, almost all turtles withdrew into their shells and closed their anterior plastron, although fewer closed their posterior plastron, and a few engaged in other behaviours such as biting and urinating. Older, larger turtles were able to close their shells with greater strength than younger and smaller turtles. Our results indicate that in spite of their fully closable shell, box turtles exhibit a graded response to perceived threats. This suggests that full closure of the shell is likely to be costly and occurs only in response to the most intense stimuli.


2015 ◽  
Vol 175 (2-4) ◽  
pp. 218-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard R. Sim ◽  
Terry M. Norton ◽  
Ellen Bronson ◽  
Matthew C. Allender ◽  
Nancy Stedman ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 168-169 (1) ◽  
pp. 399-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Giesemann ◽  
H.-J. Jäger ◽  
K. H. Feger

Author(s):  
Raquel Doke ◽  
Kara Hiebert ◽  
Melanie Repella ◽  
Megan Stuart ◽  
Lauren Mumm ◽  
...  

Few studies have characterized the prevalence of intraerythrocytic parasites in free-ranging chelonian populations or their occurrence across habitats. It is hypothesized that chelonians in different habitats have different exposures to vectors and thus, differences in hemoparasite presence. This study explored the prevalence and intensity of intraerythrocytic parasites by examining blood smears from four species of Illinois turtles: wild Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) (EBT), and ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata ornata) (OBT) and headstarted alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) (AST). Intraerythrocytic parasites were identified in all examined species except for the alligator snapping turtle. For all age classes, Blanding’s turtles had both the highest prevalence of hemoparasites and intensity of infection of all sampled species, while adult Blanding’s turtles had a significantly higher prevalence than juveniles (P<0.05). As this is the first study of hemoparasites in Illinois chelonians, further research is needed to identify the specific species of intraerythrocytic parasite, the potential vectors, and the effect these hemoparasites have on the health of chelonians.


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