Internal Body Temperatures of an Overwintering Adult Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)

Burke, Russell L.; Calle, Paul P.; Figueras, Miranda P.; Green, Timothy M.

doi:10.1656/045.023.0304

Title: Internal Body Temperatures of an Overwintering Adult Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)

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Abstract

Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) is the only turtle species in which adults are known to be tolerant of freezing. We report the first systematically collected data on internal body temperatures of an overwintering Eastern Box Turtle. Despite nearby air temperatures as low as -21.8 °C, this turtle probably supercooled rather than froze. Snow cover, thermal inertia, and the insulating effects of its refugium’s substrate may have protected this turtle from the very cold conditions.

Authors:

Burke, Russell L. ^[1]; Calle, Paul P. ^[2]; Figueras, Miranda P. ^[1]; Green, Timothy M. ^[3]

Hofstra Univ., Hempstead, NY (United States). Dept. of Biology
Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY (United States)
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Publication Date:: 2016-09-01

Research Org.:: Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)

OSTI Identifier:: 1342643

Report Number(s):: BNL-113456-2017-JA
Journal ID: ISSN 1092-6194

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0012704

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Northeastern Naturalist

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 23; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 1092-6194

Publisher:: Eagle Hill Institute

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

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                    Burke, Russell L., Calle, Paul P., Figueras, Miranda P., and Green, Timothy M. Internal Body Temperatures of an Overwintering Adult Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle).  United States: N. p., 2016. 
Web.  doi:10.1656/045.023.0304.

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                    Burke, Russell L., Calle, Paul P., Figueras, Miranda P., & Green, Timothy M. Internal Body Temperatures of an Overwintering Adult Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle).  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1656/045.023.0304

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                    Burke, Russell L., Calle, Paul P., Figueras, Miranda P., and Green, Timothy M. Thu .  
"Internal Body Temperatures of an Overwintering Adult Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1656/045.023.0304.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1342643.

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@article{osti_1342643,

  title        = {Internal Body Temperatures of an Overwintering Adult Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)},

  author       = {Burke, Russell L. and Calle, Paul P. and Figueras, Miranda P. and Green, Timothy M.},

  abstractNote = {Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle) is the only turtle species in which adults are known to be tolerant of freezing. We report the first systematically collected data on internal body temperatures of an overwintering Eastern Box Turtle. Despite nearby air temperatures as low as -21.8 °C, this turtle probably supercooled rather than froze. Snow cover, thermal inertia, and the insulating effects of its refugium’s substrate may have protected this turtle from the very cold conditions.},

  doi          = {10.1656/045.023.0304},

  journal      = {Northeastern Naturalist},

  number       = 3,

  volume       = 23,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2016},

  month        = {9}

}

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