Investigating variables affecting Blanding's turtle ( Emydoidea blandingii) patch occupancy and trapping success in Nova Scotia.

摘要

Summer occupancy of discrete wetland habitat patches by Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in Nova Scotia, Canada was modeled using presence/absence assessed from available trapping records (1995-2005) and from habitat variables collected in situ independently by two observers (summer 2005). Observer variation significantly affected results and was incorporated. The best data-based, generalizable and robust model contained three variables: water color, bank overhang vegetation, and aquatic substrate. Occupied wetlands predicted to be unsuitable and unoccupied wetlands predicted to be suitable were identified.; Trapping success for Blanding's turtle was investigated using trapping records from 19 wetlands supporting the species. Blanding's turtles were caught more often at a mean cloud cover below 72.5% with a minimum of 19.5 trap*days per km of trappable habitat, and in June, July or August rather than May or September. These threshold values should be used to insure that sufficient effort is applied when assessing the species' presence/absence.