Activity and movement of free-living box turtles are largely independent of ambient and thermal conditions.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Ectotherms are assumed to be strongly influenced by the surrounding ambient and environmental conditions for daily activity and movement. As such, ecological and physiological factors contribute to stimuli influencing navigation, extent of movement, and therefore habitat use. Our study focused on the intensity of activity (from acceleration data) and extent of movement (from GPS and thread trailing data) of Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in a fragmented landscape near their northern population limit. First, we quantified the thermal performance curve of box turtles using activity as a measure of performance. Second, we investigated ecological factors that could influence activity and movement and characterized the movement as extensive (explorat

SUBMITTER: Parlin AF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6052674 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature