Using High-Resolution Radiotracking to Improve Inference About the Spatial Ecology of Small, Slow-Moving Ectotherms.

ABSTRACT: Ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) and eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) are long-lived, relatively small, and slow-moving ectotherms experiencing range-wide declines primarily due to habitat loss. Understanding home range and movement patterns of box turtles is crucial for conservation efforts in fragmented landscapes. Very High Frequency (VHF) radio transmitters are commonly used to locate box turtles, but sample size and availability of personnel can limit how often each turtle is tracked. In this study, we evaluated whether the rate of tracking events affects the estimated home range and average daily movement of T. ornata in a short-grass prairie located in Roosevelt County, New Mexico, and T. c. carolina in an urban forest located in Wake

SUBMITTER: Liles KE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12500529 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature