Mother knows best: nest-site choice homogenizes embryo thermal environments among populations in a widespread ectotherm.

ABSTRACT: Species with large geographical ranges provide an excellent model for studying how different populations respond to dissimilar local conditions, particularly with respect to variation in climate. Maternal effects, such as nest-site choice greatly affect offspring phenotypes and survival. Thus, maternal behaviour has the potential to mitigate the effects of divergent climatic conditions across a species' range. We delineated natural nesting areas of six populations of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) that span a broad latitudinal range and quantified spatial and temporal variation in nest characteristics. To quantify microhabitats available for females to choose, we also identified sites within the nesting area of each location that were representative of available thermal microhabi

SUBMITTER: Bodensteiner BL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10331915 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature