Download or read book Gopherus Polyphemus Gopher Tortoise Emergence Behavior written by and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Gopher Tortoise written by Ray E. Ashton and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-08-28 with total page 73 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Full-color book for children ages 10 and up. Details the life of the gopher tortoise and how it is tied in with other animals. Also discusses how the encroachment into the gopher tortoise's habitat is affecting the environment and the tortoise.
Download or read book Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus Recovery Plan written by Wendell A. Neal and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 46 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Homing Behavior and Orientation in the Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus written by Kevin Michael Connor and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 78 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Lack of Plasticity in Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus Nesting Behavior and Fecundity in a Translocated Population written by Jennifer N. DeSha and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Author's abstract: Gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) are a threatened, keystone species that play important roles in upland habitats throughout the southeastern United States. Climate change could have diverse and strong effects on the fecundity and population demographics of gopher tortoises, as they are long-lived reptiles that rely on environmental temperatures for thermoregulation and sex determination. I used a population of translocated gopher tortoises at Nokuse Plantation, located in the panhandle of Florida, as a common garden experiment to assess whether plasticity of several nesting behaviors (i.e., nest temperature, depth, and orientation) and components of fecundity (i.e., clutch size, egg size, hatching success) might compensate for changes in environmental conditions. I compared nest characteristics among translocated females (from across the state of Florida) and examined how multiple measures of environmental distance, such as difference in warm season temperature between the translocation and origin sites, impacted aspects of fecundity. I found that tortoises did not exhibit plasticity and did not adjust their nesting behaviors in response to novel conditions. Tortoises that originated from climates that were more dissimilar from that of the translocation site placed their nests at different locations within the burrow apron, under differing amounts of canopy cover, and at different depths. Environmental distance of translocation also impacted hatching success, although there was no direct impact of nest site selection on hatching success, suggesting that differences in hatching success due to female origin are more a consequence of physiology (e.g., developmental processes) than female behavior. Although there was a high degree of variability in the direction of the effect of environmental distance – i.e., whether tortoises from more or less similar climates had greater hatching success – these results may indicate a strong degree of local adaptation that is still apparent even several years after translocation. These findings suggest that gopher tortoises may not be resilient to impending environmental changes, and behavior plasticity should not be expected. Effects on nest site selection, incubation temperatures, and hatching success suggest that translocation guidelines should consider climate differences when selecting relocation sites.
Download or read book Maternal Effects and Offspring Behavior written by Aaron Lee Holbrook and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Federally threatened in Mississippi, gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) populations within the state have strongly variable recruitment and are generally in decline. Hatching success is significantly lower in Mississippi than in any other part of the species' range, and most hatchlings die within the first year. There are few refuges where survival and hatching success is high. Here I compare two populations that differ in recruitment and offspring survival for differences in corticosterone. Corticosterone is a hormone that influences energy availability and is released in elevated levels during stressful events, like living in poor quality habitat. Prolonged corticosterone elevation can impede growth and immune responses and result in early death. To assess adult stress, I utilized leukocyte profiles as they are influenced by prolonged elevation of corticosterone. A viable yolk sampling technique was used to collect yolk samples to determine levels of yolk CORT. Hatchlings were then kept in captivity for two years to observe growth rates and burrowing behavior before being released and monitored via radiotelemetry to monitor dispersal and survival. I found no differences in adult stress or egg yolk CORT between populations. This suggests adults are not excessively stressed. Survival of hatchlings did not differ between sites. Captive-reared hatchlings were larger and may have better survival than similar aged wild hatchlings. Overall, the poor survival of gopher tortoises may be more strongly linked to environmental variables such as soil structure than physiological ones. --Page ii.
Download or read book Effects of Tracked vehicle Training Activity on Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus Behavior at Fort Benning GA written by Craig Guyer and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 17 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Gopher Tortoise written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 7 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources published guides to many threatened animals living in the state. This guide gives information about the gopher tortoise, including description, status, habitat, conservation challenges & recommendations, and measures of success.
Download or read book Thermoregulation of the Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus written by Abigail Schaffner and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thermoregulation is a critical mechanism that allows reptiles to enhance physiological performances such as digestion, running, and embryo development. Gopherus polyphemus relies on thermoregulatory behavior to reach an optimum threshold for active behavior outside of their burrows. This study used internal and external temperature readings of tortoises found in the Abacoa Jupiter Greenway range VIA and compares them to behavior exhibited by the tortoise and environmental temperatures recorded. The results were compared to previous research conducted on gopher tortoises on sites of similar latitude and the results remained relatively consistent between study populations. A mean external carapace temperature of 31.8° C was determined for active behavior as well as a mean internal (cloaca!) temperature of 32.3° C for active behavior. This internal temperature is slightly below previously recorded research, which states that active gopher tortoises have internal body temperatures ranging from 34-35° C.
Download or read book Gopher Tortoises written by Christopher Blomquist and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2003-12-15 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Meet natures little bulldozer. Gopher tortoises specially designed front legs allow them to dig deep into the ground, creating homes for themselves and for dozens of other species that might not survive without them. These tortoises do immeasurable good to their habitat by sifting soil and moving minerals to the surface. They also help to spread seeds so that new plants can grow. As they read, kids will learn to appreciate this quiet, helpful creature.
Download or read book Behavioral and Disease Ecology of Gopher Tortoises Gopherus Polyphemus Post Exclusion and Relocation with a Novel Approach to Homing Determination written by Johnathan Oliver Howard Napier and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I also found that G. polyphemus engages in homing behavior, but only in males. Behavioral differences were also found between the sexes with respect to burrowing behavior. Overall health, disease prevalence, and immune response were unaffected by relocation and exclusion, nor were they statistically correlated. Signs were unreliable as etiological agents, outperformed by serological detection. I determined that the Sabal Trail pipeline as a potential stressor did not affect movement behavior, homing, nor the disease/immune profile of G. polyphemus in this study.
Download or read book Reintroduction of Gopher Tortoises Gopherus Polyphemus to Reclaimed Phosphate Land written by Laurie Ann Macdonald and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book At Home with the Gopher Tortoise written by Madeleine Dunphy and published by . This book was released on 2013-06-04 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses the habitat, physical characteristics, and behavior of the gopher tortoise, and describes its role as a keystone species and how over 360 other kinds of animals live in the burrows it builds.
Download or read book Environmental Effects on Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus Burrows written by Ron Christian Sambeli and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a keystone species that provides a habitat for hundreds of other animal species. While environmental temperatures may fluctuate, gopher tortoise burrows maintain a fairly constant temperature. This study examines data collected from 50 burrows found in Abacoa Jupiter Greenway range VIa. Variables considered when analyzing the data include weather conditions, burrow location, and whether the temperature was measured from the air, the burrow's apron, or from within the burrow. The results were compared to previous research conducted on gopher tortoises.
Download or read book Bibliography of the North American Land Tortoises genus Gopherus written by John F. Douglass and published by . This book was released on 1975 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Land tortoises of the genus Gopherus are an important element in the fauna of southern North America. Information on the four living species is widely scattered in various popular and scientific books and periodicals. An extensive search was made for literature on behavior and ecology of tortoises in this group. This compilation is intended as an aid to herpetologists and conservationists interested in these animals; it is hoped that it will serve as a directory to available information, prevent unnecessary duplication of effort, and help illuminate research needs. Each numbered item in the bibliography has been read and its contents indexed by subject. The references cited in each article have also been checked. A copy of each paper listed is on file in the Library of Archibold Biological Station.
Download or read book Physiological and Behavioral Ecology of Juvenile Gopher Tortoises written by Thomas Andrew Radzio and published by . This book was released on 2017 with total page 374 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Few terrestrial vertebrate ectotherms are strictly herbivorous, and those that are tend to inhabit tropical or warm desert environments, presumably reflecting thermal constraints on digestion of plant matter via fermentation. However, the imperiled gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) of the southeastern United States is solely herbivorous and often occupies shaded forests. Its ancestral environment is hypothesized to have consisted largely of warmer semi-open canopy longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests, but fire suppression and other factors have led to grand scale conversion of this highly biodiverse ecosystem to more shaded habitats. I investigated thermoregulatory strategies, thermal constraints on growth, and antipredator behavior of neonate, hatchling, and juvenile gopher tortoises in a longleaf pine forest of southwest Georgia. My findings indicate young gopher tortoises exploit most thermal opportunities available at burrows, basking increases growth rates, and low environmental temperatures likely constrain growth throughout the active season. Extensive basking begins at the neonate stage, where young exhibit a high-basking, rapid-growth strategy that exposes them to predation risk during thermoregulatory activity, but is presumably optimal overall. Although young bask extensively, their body temperatures may be particularly influenced by shade because they limit this activity to just in front of burrows. The field and laboratory data also suggest that tortoise body temperatures and thermosensitivity of growth are such that small changes in environmental temperature, including those that could be incurred by increased shading or climate change can substantially impact growth rates and time spent at small body sizes, where individuals are most susceptible to predators. Although young tortoises can increase growth rates by basking, surface activity also increases exposure to predators. Individuals appear to manage predation risk by limiting most basking to burrow aprons and entrances, remaining vigilant, and quickly hiding belowground in response to potential predators. Simulated predator approaches on basking hatchlings and juveniles revealed very long flight initiation distances, which increased strongly with size/age, and apparent use of vibrations (aerial or ground) to detect and avoid danger, providing a possible ecological function for uniquely large otolith ear bones characteristic of this species. Consistent with the hypothesis that young exploit most thermal opportunities available at burrows to maximize growth, disturbed individuals hid for short durations, especially when using cool burrows. Similarly, surface activity during the hour following disturbance correlated negatively with burrow temperature. Tortoises raised in captivity during the first year of their lives for thermal physiology experiments also exhibited a high-basking, rapid-growth strategy and generally normal antipredator responses following hard release back into the field. Taken together, behavior, physiology, and environmental temperatures indicate warmer environments can reduce neonate–juvenile exposure to predators by increasing growth rates and, at least during certain times of the year, decreasing surface activity.
Download or read book Burrow Dispersion and Occupancy Patterns as They Relate to Habitat Parameters and Social Behavior in the Gopher Tortoise Gopherus Polyphemus written by Melissa Dills Boglioli and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
