Snapping Turtle, Chelydra serpentina, Overland Movements Near the Southeastern Extent of its Range

Terrestrial movements of turtles are of interest due to the conservation implications for this imperiled group and the general lack of information on this topic, particularly in wide-ranging species. The snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, is one of the most broadly distributed chelonians in the world; they occur from southeastern Canada westward to Alberta and throughout the eastern half of the United States and into Central America. Most research on this species has been focused on populations in the northern portion of the range. In this study, we radio-tracked five turtles in southwestern Georgia, where published data on spatial ecology and movements are lacking. Turtles exhibited extensive overland movements which we suspect occurred in response to drought

The Ecological Role of Mesopredators and the Long-Term Effects of Mesopredator Control

Until approximately 20 years ago, mammalian predators were actively pursued by hunters and trappers for both sport and economic gain. However, during the past two decades fur prices have fallen precipitously, and sport hunting and trapping of mammalian predators is at an all-time low. Some suggest that decreased hunting and trapping pressure on mesomammal predators (e.g., raccoons, opossums, bobcats, foxes, coyotes, etc; hereafter, mesopredators) has resulted in increased mesopredator populations and a decline in many prey species. The role of mesopredators within southern forests is controversial, and there are few empirical studies on which to base management and political decisions regarding predation issues. Moreover, the few studies that do exist focus on the response of a single species or are of too short duration to fully understand the long-term effects of removal efforts. This study will provide empirical, long-term information on the ecological role of mesopredators. Our study uses mesopredator exclosures to experimentally explore the role of mesopredators within the broader wildlife community by artificially reducing mesopredator populations. Because we are using exclosures (electric fences specifically designed to exclude mesopredators, without restricting target prey species), there will be no need to sacrifice mesopredators to accomplish study objectives. Effects of mesopredators on avian, gopher tortoise, and small mammal population dynamics are of primary interest. However, we are also monitoring snake and raptor populations to determine how mesopredators affect their numbers and distribution and whether they, in tum, influence the dynamics of other wildlife populations

The Grizzly, April 29, 1988

Alcohol Policy Discussed • Honorability Sought at Ursinus • Meet McCurdy! • Urisnus\u27 Own Oscar Winners • Come One, Come All! • Letters: Plagiarist Re-admitted?; Casey Causes Changes; Blast From the Past; Alcohol Education • Band to Perform • That Staiger Chemistry Not at all Overdue • PA Dutch Parsons • Emeritus Williamson • U.C. to Take on Trenton State in Lax Showdown Tonight • Baseball on 6-game Win Streak • Men Backhand W.M. and Albright for U.C. Victory • Tennis Women End Season 6-4 • New Football Mentor • Goldberg Finds Student Athletes • Young\u27s Notes for You • Medieval Fest at College Aids Handicapped • Final Exam Schedulehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1213/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 23, 1988

Sexual Harassment: Battling Sex Roles • Bridging the Gap • Parents\u27 Day Fair Promising • Letter: U.C. Knows Worth • U.C. Loses in Ratings Game • Sporting Theatre • Fife Marches to Math Cadence • Volleyball Hits Target • Soccer on Winning Streak • Lady Bears Back in Groove Again • Bears Lose Second Straight • Sports Exhibit Openshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1218/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, October 14, 1988

Task Force Committee Trims Curriculum • Gender, Class and Race Addressed at Conference • Awareness Week on the Wagon • Letters: Some Sobering Thoughts for Students; Interdepartmental Cooperation Stressed • And the Band Played On... • A Voice of My Own to Air • Wellness Week Results • Rice Cooks Up Recipe for Art • Bears Take Homecoming Thriller in Final :33 • Soccer Kicks Into Winning Gear • X-Country Runs \u27Round Alumni • Hockey Unpredictablehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1220/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 9, 1988

Campus \u27Cheers\u27 Policy • Past Public Scandal Eludes Press • Frosh Still Fresh • U.C. Convocation Coverage • Letter: L\u27Amour Tacky • Hocker Anyone? • New Reign for King • Field Hockey Eyes Possible Post Season Tournament • Gridders Anticipate \u2788 Kickoff • Runners Sweep Classic • Soccer Starts Seasonhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1216/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 5, 1988

Cavorting Cop Caught • Lewis Disclaims Labels at Forum • Rock\u27N America • Patterns Campaign Nears Completion • Hockey Held as Hokey • Contra-versial Censorship Irks Student • History Department Interviews a New Way • Concert Features Christian Music • Summer Study in France a Fun-do • Notes: R.A. Rap Session Announced; Presidency Probers Convene; ALF Re-runs Rewarding; Child Safety Course Offered • Men\u27s Hoopsters Suffer Temporary Setback • Track Team Making Great Strides • Record Books Rewritten • U.C. Matters: Wrestling Tough and Confident • Men \u27Mers Holding Their Ownhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1203/thumbnail.jp

Techniques for estimating the size of low-density gopher tortoise populations

Partial support by CEAUL (funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal, through the project UID/MAT/00006/2013) (TAM).Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) are candidates for range-wide listing as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Reliable population estimates are important to inform policy and management for recovery of the species. Line transect distance sampling has been adopted as the preferred method to estimate population size. However, when tortoise density is low, it can be challenging to obtain enough tortoise observations to reliably estimate the probability of detection, a vital component of the method. We suggest a modification to the method based on counting usable tortoise burrows (more abundant than tortoises) and separately accounting for the proportion of burrows occupied by tortoises. The increased sample size of burrows can outweigh the additional uncertainty induced by the need to account for the proportion of burrows occupied. We demonstrate the method using surveys conducted within a 13,118-ha portion of the Gopher Tortoise Habitat Management Unit at Fort Gordon Army Installation, Georgia. We used a systematic random design to obtain more precise estimates, using a newly developed systematic variance estimator. Individual transects had a spatially efficient design (pseudocircuits), which greatly improved sampling efficiency on this large site. Estimated burrow density was 0.091 ± 0.011 burrows/ha (CV = 12.6%, 95% CI = 0.071–0.116), with 25% of burrows occupied by a tortoise (CV = 14.4%), yielding a tortoise density of 0.023 ± 0.004 tortoise/ha (CV = 19.0%, 95% CI = 0.016–0.033) and a population estimate of 297 tortoises (95% CI = 210–433). These techniques are applicable to other studies and species. Surveying burrows or nests, rather than animals, can produce more reliable estimates when it leads to a significantly larger sample of detections and when the occupancy status can reliably be ascertained. Systematic line transect survey designs give better precision and are practical to implement and analyze.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe