Responses of a spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) population to creation of early-successional habitat
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Published source details
Buchanan S.W., Buffum B. & Karraker N.E. (2017) Responses of a spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) population to creation of early-successional habitat. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 12, 688-700.
Published source details Buchanan S.W., Buffum B. & Karraker N.E. (2017) Responses of a spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) population to creation of early-successional habitat. Herpetological Conservation and Biology, 12, 688-700.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Clear or open patches in forests Action Link |
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Clear or open patches in forests
A before-and-after study in 2013–2014 in forest and wetland in Rhode Island, USA (Buchanan et al. 2017) found that clearing area patch of canopy did not affect spotted turtle Clemmys guttata home range size. In the year after a clearing was created by cutting trees, average spotted turtle home range size was similar to before the forest was cut (after cutting: 1.4 ha; before cutting: 1.2 ha). In December 2013–February 2014, a 3 ha area of mature forest was clearcut, leaving eight trees/ha and coarse woody debris on the ground and a 15 m border with adjacent wetlands. Twelve turtles were radio-tracked every five days in May–October 2013 (before clearcutting) and March–October 2014 (after clearcutting; 59 locations recorded/individual).
(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
