Present and future distribution of the European pond turtle versus seven exotic freshwater turtles, with a focus on Eastern Europe.

ABSTRACT: Freshwater turtles are often used as terrarium pets, especially juveniles of exotic species. At the adult stage they are often released by their owners into the wild despite their high invasion potential. In Europe these thermophilic potentially invasive alien species occupy the habitats of the native European pond turtle Emys orbicularis (Linnaeus, 1758), with new records from the wild being made specifically in Eastern Europe (Latvia and Ukraine) during recent decades. Assessing the potential of alien freshwater turtles to establish in new territories is of great concern for preventing invasion risks while preserving native biodiversity in the present context of climate change. We explored this issue by identifying the present and future (by 2050) suitable habitats of the European pond t

SUBMITTER: Nekrasova O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11387417 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature