Annual and Diel Activity of Spiny Softshell Turtles (Apalone spinifera) and Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) in an Urban Minnesota Lake

摘要

Understanding both annual and diel activity patterns of organisms is important for conserving and managing wildlife populations (Litzgus and Mousseau 2004; Lowe and Bray 2006). Temporal activity patterns can influence the competitors and predators that individuals encounter, as well as the resources available to them (Smith and Iverson 2004). Many studies have examined the activities of freshwater turtles (e.g., Ernst 1971; Rowe 2003; Smith and Iverson 2004). One of the most widely used techniques, radio-telemetry, has been an integral tool for understanding turtle movements. However, radio-telemetry data are largely limited to the frequency and distance of turtle movements and collecting finer scale activity data can be challenging.