Influence of temporary emigration on wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) detectability, with implications for abundance estimation.

ABSTRACT: Reliable population estimates are important for making informed management decisions about wildlife species. Standardized survey protocols have been developed for monitoring population trends of the wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta), a semi-aquatic freshwater turtle species of conservation concern throughout its distribution in east-central North America. The protocols use repeated active search surveys of defined areas, allowing for estimation of survey-specific detection probability (p) and site-specific abundance. These protocols assume population closure within the survey area during the survey period, which is unlikely to be met as wood turtles are a highly mobile species. Additionally, current protocols use a single-pass design that does not allow for separation of availability (pa)

SUBMITTER: Beard AN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11020976 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature