Pseudemys concinna

Number of Pages: 12Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Ecology and Community Relationships of the River Cooter, Pseudemys concinna in a Southern Illinois Backwater

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens\u27 method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and lower asymptotic length (a) (k = 0.00062, a = 219.8) than females (k = 0.00023, a = 307.6). Male growth slowed between 5 - 10 years and females between 15 - 23 years. Estimated daily growth regressed to plastral length revealed that growth of both sexes declined as size increased. Diets were predominantly filamentous algae of the genera Cladophora and Oedogonium (98%)

Biotic Integrity of macroinvertebrate communities along the I-294 corridor

Sampled macroinvertebrates following ILEPA protocol at 7 sites in August–September 2015 in the I-294 corridor and calculated biotic integrity metrics • Assessed sites based on the Qualitative Stream Habitat Assessment Procedure (SHAP) • Measured physical (width, depth, velocity) and chemical (pH, conductivity, salinity, total dissolved solids) characteristics • Habitat assessment showed impairment compared to Illinois reference conditions at all sites • Macroinvertebrate Index of Biotic Integrity rated 6 sites as “Poor” and one as “Fair” ▷▷ Total taxa richness ranged from 10 to 19 across sites ▷▷ 4 of the 7 sites had no EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera) taxa ▷▷ No Plecoptera (stoneflies) were collected at any siteIllinois State Toll Highway Authorityunpublishednot peer reviewe

Surveys for Spotted and Blanding's Turtles for Ducere LLC in Lockport, Illinois

We set traps at 64 trap locations for 251.48 trap days (5,853.28 trap hours) and captured 19 turtles (18 from traps, one from VES) of 13 individuals. Of these, 16 captures (10 individuals) were Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta), and three were Common Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina). An additional nine Painted Turtles were observed basking at Wetland 8 during VES. We did not capture or observe any Spotted or Blanding’s Turtles. We captured all turtles at Wetlands 4 and 8. Environmental conditions varied considerably (AT: 7.5-30 °C; WT: 5.4-27 °C) during trapping but never exceeded the bounds of activity. Other species observed or captured in traps, included crayfish, Eastern Mudminnows (Umbra pygmaea), other fishes, Green Frogs (Lithobates clamitans), American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus), American Toads (Anaxyrus americanus), and Northern Watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). We noted counts of each species but did not take measurements.Ducere LLCunpublishednot peer reviewe

Freshwater mollusk sampling along the southern I-294 corridor.

Sampled 8 sites at 6 stream crossings• Spent 13.5 person-hours surveying (average of 2.3 mussels collected/hr)• Encountered 31 live individuals of 3 mussel species• Only 2 of the 8 sites had mussels• Recorded the following species:▷Giant Floater, Pyganodon grandis (n=29, 94%), most common▷Paper Pondshell, Utterbackia imbecillus (n=1, 3%)▷Lilliput, Toxolasma parvum (n=1, 3%)▷One native snail, Liver Elimia, Elimia livescens, was abundant in Salt Creek• Invasive Asian Clams, Corbicula fluminea, were common at sites▷Upstream reach of I-294 to Bemis Woods littered with relict shells of native unionidsIllinois State Toll Highway Authorityunpublishednot peer reviewe

Noxious and Selected Invasive Plant Populations along Illinois Toll Highway Rights-of-Way

• Repeated a 2010 survey for selected invasive species and listed noxious weeds throughout the ISTHA corridor. • Mapped 1345 populations of invasive species. • Found the ISTHA corridor to be heavily populated by invasive species throughout the length of each roadway. • Most frequently found species were Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense) and Cut-leaf Teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus). • Recommend management specific to each of 8 species or groups of species found during the survey.Illinois State Toll Highway Authorityunpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

2017 Bat Monitoring along the I-90 Corridor

In this study, the we Passively recorded 28 nights at each of three survey location within Trout Park. Analyzed recordings using 2 auto-classification software programs, Sonobat and Kaleidoscope. Kaleidoscope identified 7,570 files as bat passes. Sonobat identified 9,938 files as bat passes. Identified 4 bat species: Big Brown, Eastern Red, Hoary, and Silver-haired Bats. Kaleidoscope indicated the presence of the Tri-colored Bat in the spring and summer survey periods. Bat populations may be helped by: Increasing the vegetation near the I90 overpass to add more connectivity between the 2 forest patches; Reducing understory clutter from invasive shrubs in the more heavily wooded areas to increase the availability of foraging habitat; Increasing available roosting habitat by maintaining snags and/or erecting bat boxes.Illilnois Toll Highway Authority ITHA RR-15-4228unpublishednot peer reviewe

Select Metal and Metalloid Surveillance of Free-ranging Eastern Box Turtles from Illinois and Tennessee

The Eastern box turtle has been proposed as a biomonitor because it is long lived, relies on the environment for food and water, and has a small home range. To establish this designation, ISTC partnered with the Illinois Natural History Survey, the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois, and the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization. Plasma samples from 273 free-range box turtles were collected in 2011 and 2012 in Tennessee and Illinois. Full results reported in Allender, Matthew C., et al (2015). "Select metal and metalloid surveillance of free-ranging Eastern box turtles from Illinois and Tennessee (Terrapene carolina carolina)." Ecotoxicology 24, 1269–1278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-015-1498-5Ope

Climatic and geographic predictors of life history variation in Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus): A range-wide synthesis

Elucidating how life history traits vary geographically is important to understanding variation in population dynamics. Because many aspects of ectotherm life history are climate-dependent, geographic variation in climate is expected to have a large impact on population dynamics through effects on annual survival, body size, growth rate, age at first reproduction, size-fecundity relationship, and reproductive frequency. The Eastern Massasauga (Sistrurus catenatus) is a small, imperiled North American rattlesnake with a distribution centered on the Great Lakes region, where lake effects strongly influence local conditions. To address Eastern Massasauga life history data gaps, we compiled data from 47 study sites representing 38 counties across the range. We used multimodel inference and general linear models with geographic coordinates and annual climate normals as explanatory variables to clarify patterns of variation in life history traits. We found strong evidence for geographic variation in six of nine life history variables. Adult female snout-vent length and neonate mass increased with increasing mean annual precipitation. Litter size decreased with increasing mean temperature, and the size-fecundity relationship and growth prior to first hibernation both increased with increasing latitude. The proportion of gravid females also increased with increasing latitude, but this relationship may be the result of geographically varying detection bias. Our results provide insights into ectotherm life history variation and fill critical data gaps, which will inform Eastern Massasauga conservation efforts by improving biological realism for models of population viability and climate change

Ecology and Community Relationships of the River Cooter, Pseudemys concinna in a Southern Illinois Backwater

In Illinois the River cooter, Pseudemys concinna, is an enigmatic endangered species. Even throughout its range, ecological studies on the River cooter are rare. During 1994 and 1995 I quantified the: growth rates and trends, population size and structure and dietary habits of a population from floodplain lake in Gallatin county, Illinois. Population estimation (Schnabel method) predicted 136 individuals at a density of 4.6 turtles/ha with a biomass of 3.6 Kg/ha. The sex ratio is slightly male biased (1:1.14). From back-calculated growth data, the von Bertalanffy growth model (Fabens\u27 method) estimates males with a higher growth rate (k) and lower asymptotic length (a) (k = 0.00062, a = 219.8) than females (k = 0.00023, a = 307.6). Male growth slowed between 5 - 10 years and females between 15 - 23 years. Estimated daily growth regressed to plastral length revealed that growth of both sexes declined as size increased. Diets were predominantly filamentous algae of the genera Cladophora and Oedogonium (98%)