Life history and demography of the common mud turtle Kinosternon subrubrum in South Carolina, USA
- Mercer University, Macon, GA (United States)
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Aiken, SC (United States)
This paper presents a life table for the common mud turtle, Kinosternon subrubrum, in a fluctuating aquatic habitat on the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA, using data gathered in a 20-yr mark-recapture study. Data on survivorship and fecundity were assessed and compared to previously published life table statistics for the slider turtle, Trachemys scripta, in the same body of water and for the yellow mud turtle, K. flavscens, in Nebraska. The annual survival rate for adult female Kinosternon is significantly higher than that of adult female Trachemys. Similarly, male Kinosternon exhibit an annual survival rate significantly higher than that of male Trachemys. The mean annual proportion of female Kinosternon that are reproductively active also is significantly higher than that of Trachemys. In addition, survival rate from the time eggs are laid by Kinosternon until the hatchlings enter the aquatic environment is significantly higher than that for Trachemys. Comparisons of findings with those for K. flavesens indicate that these geographically separate populations of congeneric species also differ substantially in age at maturity, mean generation time, and the mean proportion of females that are reproductively active in any given year. Differences were also apparent in mean clutch frequencies and adult survival rates.
- OSTI ID:
- 7014634
- Journal Information:
- Ecology; (United States), Vol. 72:6; ISSN 0012-9658
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
TURTLES
LIFE CYCLE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DEMOGRAPHY
GENETIC VARIABILITY
HABITAT
LIFE SPAN
SEX DEPENDENCE
SOUTH CAROLINA
SURVIVAL TIME
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
EVALUATION
NORTH AMERICA
REPTILES
USA
VERTEBRATES
540310* - Environment
Aquatic- Basic Studies- (1990-)