Alter road surfaces

Overall effectiveness category Awaiting assessment
Number of studies: 1
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Effectiveness

not assessed
Certainty

not assessed
Harms

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Background information and definitions

Due to the way that reptiles regulate their body temperature using external sources, it is possible that sun-warmed roads surfaces may contribute to road-related mortality. Gravel roads are cooler than surrounding natural habitats and may offer an intervention option to prevent reptiles from crossing roads (Shine et al. 2004).

^{Shine R., Lemaster M., Wall M., Langkilde T. & Mason R. (2004) Why did the snake cross the road? Effects of roads on movement and location of mates by garter snakes. Ecology and Society, 9, 9.}

Study locations

Key messages

One study evaluated the effects of altering road surfaces on reptile populations. This study was in Canada.

COMMUNITY RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

POPULATION RESPONSE (0 STUDIES)

BEHAVIOUR (1 STUDY)

Use (1 study): One replicated study in Canada found that paved roads were not used more by Blanding’s turtles than unpaved roads.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A replicated study in 2010 in wetlands and forests bisected by roads along the Ottawa River in southern Québec, Canada (Proulx et al. 2014) found that Blanding's turtles Emydoidea blandingii did not cross paved roads more compared to unpaved roads. Blanding’s turtles showed similar levels of use of paved roads (0.1 crossings/individual) compared to unpaved roads (1.0 crossings/individual). Twenty-four of 52 turtles crossed roads. Fifty-two Blanding's turtles (22 females, 24 males, 6 juveniles) were captured by hand or using hoop nets and a radio transmitter was attached to their shell. All turtles were tracked every 2–4 days from May to August 2010.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Proulx C.L., Fortin G. & Blouin-Demers G. (2014) Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) avoid crossing unpaved and paved roads. Journal of Herpetology, 48, 267-271.

Please cite as:

Sainsbury K.A., Morgan W.H., Watson M., Rotem G., Bouskila A., Smith R.K. & Sutherland W.J. (2021) Reptile Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for reptiles. Conservation Evidence Series Synopsis. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

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This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Reptile Conservation

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