Terrestrial Turtle Habitats Potentially Impacted by USACE Reservoir Operations

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Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Terrestrial Turtle Habitats Ptentially Impated by USACE Reservir Operatins BACKGROUND: Changing water levels r ther peratins at U.S. Army Crps f Engineers (USACE) reservirs may impat ritial habitat parameters fr terrestrial turtle speies.

1 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Terrestrial Turtle Habitats Ptentially Impated by USACE Reservir Operatins BACKGROUND: Changing water levels r ther peratins at U.S. Army Crps f Engineers (USACE) reservirs may impat ritial habitat parameters fr terrestrial turtle speies. This tehnial nte identifies terrestrial turtle speies and habitats ptentially impated by USACE reservir r ther water-ntrl prjets as reprted by resure managers (Table 1). Current state and/r Federal legal prtetin status as well as the distributin f USACE Distrits and reservir prjets ptentially impated by terrestrial Ornate Bx Turtle turtle nservatin issues are summarized (Fig- pht by Dena Dikersn ure 1, Table 2). Life-histry summaries and habitat requirement desriptins are given fr eah terrestrial turtle speies identified as ptentially impated at reservir peratins. This grup inludes the trtises and bx turtles with tw speies Federally threatened and three speies having prtetin in at least ne state. Three f these prteted speies are assiated with envirnmental issues at 21 USACE prjets frm 5 USACE Distrits ( USACE Divisins). The three speies f trtises ur in three islated regins f the United States (suthwest, suthern Texas, and astal sutheast) (Figure 2). The tw prteted speies f bx turtles ur thrughut a wide range f the eastern United States but maintain prtetin in nly ertain states fr varius reasns (Figure ). Althugh bth trtises and bx turtles are terrestrial, their preferred habitats are quite varied between these tw grups as well as between speies. Habitats in-., ^,,_ ^. elude stritly desert, lngleaf pine, prairie, and Juvenile Gpher Trtise,/, _,.,, u,. n.. pen wdlands. These turtles are knwn t pht by Dena Dikersn r Terrestrial Turtles Ptentially Impated by Reservir 0 aeratins Turtle Cmmn Name Sientifi Name Prtetin Status Ornate bx Terrepene. rnata State prteted Eastern bx Terrepene. Carlina State prteted Gpher trtise Gpherus plyphemus r ~~ ' -eatened DTIC QUALITY INSPECTED 4 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A Apprved fr Publi Release Distributin Unlimited

2 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 have well-defined hme ranges within a habitat. Gpher trtises are stritly herbivrus and feed primarily n grasses, whereas bx turtles are mnivrus. Habitat destrutin, pestiide pisning, lletin fr fd and pet trade, and disease have all been attributed t dramati delines in ppulatins. Table 1 Summary f Survey Results, Terrestrial Turtles Speies Ornate bx turtle Eastern bx turtle Prtetin Status Divisins Distrits Number State Federal Identified Identified Distrit Ttal State prteted LRD MVD Luisville Rk Island State prteted LRD Huntingtn 1 1 Gpher trtise Federally threatened SAD Jaksnville Mbile Summary LRD SAD MVD Huntingtn Luisville Jaksnville Rk Island Rk Island ? 4? ? Questins remain abut survey respnse 21 POINT OF NTACT: Fr additinal infrmatin, ntat ne f the authrs, Ms. Dena D. Dikersn ( , dikerd@exl.wes.army.mil), Mr. Kevin J. Reine ( , reinek@exl.wes.army.mil), r Ms. Kim L. Herrmann ( ), r the manager f the Esystem Management and Restratin Researh Prgram, Dr. Russell F. Therit ( , therir@exl.wes.army.mil). This tehnial nte shuld be ited as fllws: Dikersn, D. D., Reine, K. J., and Herrmann, K. L. (1999). "Terrestrial turtle habitats ptentially impated by USACE reservir peratins," EMRRP Tehnial Ntes Clletin (TN EMRRP-SI-08), U.S. Army Engineer Researh and Develpment Center, Viksburg, MS.

3 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Trtise Legal Prtetin Bth Prtetin and CE Prjets with Issues Bx Turtle Legal Prtetin 1H CE Prjets Identified with issues MSh Bth Prtetin and CE Prjets with Issues Figure 1. Legal prtetin status

4 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Trtise Habitat Range Figure 2. Trtise habitat range Bx Turtle Habitat Range Figure. Bx turtle habitat range

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6 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Prfile: Gpher trtise (Gpherus plyphemus) Distributin: Gpherus plyphemus (gpher trtise) is fund frm extreme suthern Suth Carlina suth thrugh peninsular Flrida and west thrugh suthern Gergia, Flrida, suthern Alabama, and Mississippi t extreme sutheastern Luisiana. Habitat: Typially fund n well-drained, deep, sandy sils in ntiguus areas nsisting f primarily lngleaf pine (Pinus palustris), xerphyti ak (Querus spp.), wdlands (sandhills) but als xeri hammk, sandpine (P. lausa) and ak srub, pine flatwds, astal grasslands, dry prairie, and a variety f ruderal and suessinal habitat types (Diemer 1992 a, b; Wilsn et al. 1997). Adequate herbaeus fds and sunny nesting sites must be present. Behavir: In Flrida the gpher trtise is generally ative all year; hwever, it may remain in the burrw during ld weather. In its nrthern reahes, it may beme trpid during severe winter weather. Peak ativity urs frm May t August (Duglass and Layne 1978). Trtises are mst ative during the warmest part f the day ( hr). They harateristially bask with their head in an elevated psitin in sharp ntrast t G. berlandieri and G. agassizii. This speies f turtle is apable f withstanding high bdy temperatures. Duglass and Layne (1978) reprted an average bdy temperature f 4.7 C fr ative turtles. An amplished burrwer, the gpher trtise digs burrws (straight and unbranhed) in sandy sil with its frelimbs and feet, whih are speialized fr this purpse. An exavatin may be as lng as 5 ft (abut 10 m), and wide enugh s the turtle an turn arund at any pint alng its length. It may upy the abandned burrw f ther trtises (Diemer 1992a). The gpher trtise has a well-defined hme range, whih tends t inrease in size with maturity. It is apable f swimming in either fresh r brakish water. Reprdutin: Gpher trtises mate during spring and fall, but peak mating urs during spring (May and June) (Diemer 1992b). When seeking a female, a male will mve t the muth f a burrw upied by a female and display a head-bbbing behavir (Wright 1982). Eggs are generally depsited frm late April t mid-july, but mst nesting urs frm mid-may t mid-june. Nests are dug with hind limbs nly, usually near the burrw, and in areas that reeive diret sunlight fr mst f the day. Only ne luth is laid per year and may ntain 1-25 eggs; hwever, mean luth size varies by ppulatin. Hathing and emergene ur frm August t Otber. Inubatin varies gegraphially and ranges frm days in Flrida (Iversn 1980), days in Gergia (Landers et al. 1980), and as lng as 110 days in Suth Carlina (Wright 1982). Fd habits: Gpher trtises are herbivrus and feed primarily n grasses and ther herbaeus plants. In Flrida and Gergia, gpher trtises frage mainly n wiregrass {Aristida strit) (Wilsn et al. 1997). In the western part f its range, it ften nsumes bluestem (Andrpgn spp.), rabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis), and pani grasses (Panium spp.) (Garner and Landers 1981). Fleshy fruits suh as blakberry {Rubus uneflius), maypp (Passiflra inarnata), and sleplum (Prunus umbellata) are als nsumed when available. The gpher trtise will drink water when available. This is usually rainwater that has aumulated at the entrane f the burrw. Ppulatins: The range f this speies has dereased dramatially wing t habitat destrutin. Majr threats t survival inlude land nversin fr urbanizatin, agriulture, frest management, mining, lletin fr fd, the pet trade, and many ther fatrs (Ddd 1986). They may als be killed during rattlesnake rundups, when snake lletrs use gasline t drive snakes ut f burrws. Remarks: Prtetin Status: Federally threatened: Suth Carlina, Gergia, Luisiana, Mississippi, Alabama; Endangered: Suth Carlina, Mississippi; Speies f speial nern: Flrida

7 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Prfile: Eastern bx turtle (Terrapene Carlina) (Linnaeus 1758) Distributin: The U.S. range f Terrapene Carlina (Eastern bx turtle) extends frm suthern Maine suth t the Flrida Keys and west t Mihigan, Illinis, eastern Kansas, Oklahma, and Texas. It has been reprted in islated lalities in New Yrk and western Kansas. Habitat: Habitat nsists primarily f pen wdlands, but the eastern bx turtle an be fund in pastures and marshy meadws, and in Flrida may be fund in palmett thikets. Reagan (1974) reprted a seasnal shift in habitat frm grasslands (late spring and early fall) t frested areas (summer, early spring, and late fall). Ativity in grasslands inided with mderate temperatures and peak misture nditins. Behavir: Ativity in mst f the United States begins in early April and ends in Otber; hwever, in the suth, turtles may emerge frm hibernatin in Marh and in Flrida may be ative in every mnth during warm years. In the nrthern prtin f its range, hibernatin may ur as early as September, and emergene may be delayed until late April r early May during ld springs. Juveniles emerge later in spring than adults and beme inative in fall befre adults. Daily ativity invlves mrning basking (usually n lgs r n very lw branhes) fllwed by a perid f fraging in the afternn (Carr and Huseal 1981). A send perid f basking may fllw fraging. Evening ativity is largely restrited t nesting females. Little r n nturnal ativity urs. Turtles will avid the heat f the day by sheltering under rtting lgs r deaying leaves, in mammal burrws, r in mud. In the httest weather they frequently enter shaded shallw pls and puddles and remain there fr a perid varying frm a few hurs t days. When entering hibernatin they burrw int lse sil, sand, vegetable debris, the mud f pnds r stream bttms, r ld stump hles, r may enter mammal burrws. The same hibernaulum may be used in suessive winters. Ranges f bx turtles f all ages and bth sexes verlap and frequently ur tgether. Nihls (199) fund mst adults (89.5 perent) shwed sme hming tendeny. Reprdutin: Curtship and mating usually begin in May, althugh Dundee and Rssman (1989) and Jaksn (1991) reprted Marh and April pulatins in Luisiana and Flrida, with extensins t Otber (Williams and Parker 1987; Jaksn 1991). Mating takes plae n land r in water and ne male may mate with mre than ne female. A female may lay fertile eggs fr up t 4 years after ne suessful mating (Ewing 194). Nesting urs frm May thrugh July (Jaksn 1991). Mst nests are started in the evening and finished after dark; hwever, sme females have been bserved exavating nests in the mrning. Nest sites are usually lated in an pen elevated path f sandy r lamy sil, althugh sme females will nest in the wds (Ernst et al. 1994). Nests are dug with the hind feet and depth is rrelated with the length f the hind leg. Mst nests are dug n strmy evenings (Cngell 1978), either t aid in digging r t hide the dr frm predatrs. Tw luthes f 1-11 eggs (x range = 4-5) are usually depsited eah year (Jaksn 1991). Inubatin perid depends n sil temperature and ranges frm days. Hathlings emerge frm early September int Otber, but verwintering may ur (Gibbns and Nelsn 1978). Fd habits: Feeding may take plae n land r in shallw water. Yung are hiefly arnivrus, but beme mre herbivrus with age. Strang (198) fund that the eastern bx turtle did nt eat green leaves in nature, but instead nsumes fruits (e.g., strawberries, blakberries), fungi (mushrms), invertebrates (e.g. snails, slugs, earthwrms), insets (e.g. grasshppers, rikets); vertebrates (e.g., fish, frgs), and arrin (e.g., duks, amphibians) (Alsp and Wallae 1978; Antn 1990). Ppulatins: A substantial prprtin f a bx turtle ppulatin at any time and plae nsists f transients (Williams and Parker 1987). This makes estimatin f ppulatin size and density diffiult. Ppulatin density estimates range frm 8.9 turtles/hetare in Wds, Indiana (Williams 1961) t 22 turtles/hetare in Knxville, Tennessee (Dlbeer 1969). Studies have shwn delining ppulatins in Maryland (Stikel 1978) and Indiana (Williams and Parker 1987). Pestiide pisning and the pet trade are suspeted t be majr fatrs in ppulatin deline (Stikel 1978). Remarks: Prtetin Status: Endangered: Indiana, Maine; State speies f speial nern: Mihigan, New Hampshire, Massahusetts, Rhde Island, New Yrk, New Jersey; Pssessin and/r harvesting regulatins: West Virginia, Alabama, Kentuky, Cnnetiut, Maryland, Flrida.

8 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Prfile: Ornate bx turtle {Terrapene rnata) Distributin: Terapene rnata (Ornate bx turtle) is typially fund frm nrthwestern Indiana, Illinis, suth-entral Wisnsin, eastern and western Iwa, suthern Suth Dakta, and eastern Wyming suth t suthwestern Luisiana, Texas, eastern and suthern New Mexi, sutheastern Arizna, and Snra, Chihuahua, and suthwestern Cahuila, Mexi. Fund frm near sea level t ver 2,000 m in elevatin. Habitat: The rnate bx turtle is nsidered t be a prairie turtle, inhabiting treeless, sandy plains and gently rlling untry with grass and sattered lw brush as the dminant vegetatin. Hwever, it may enter wdlands, partiularly alng streams, and in Arizna and New Mexi, may als be fund n the fringes f deserts. Behavir: Ativity has been bserved frm Marh thrugh Nvember. The rnate bx turtle emerges frm hibernatin (at bdy temperature >24 C) arund the middle f April, but may emerge as early as Marh. Hibernatin begins in September in the nrth (Drff and Keith 1990) and Otber in the suth. Mst r all turtles are undergrund by the end f Nvember. Mst ativity urs frm late April thrugh June (reprdutive seasn), but a send peak f mvement may ur in September (migratin bak t hibernatin areas). Daily ativities nsist f perids f basking, fraging, and rest that vary in duratin depending n envirnmental nditins. Turtles emerge shrtly after dawn and rdinarily bask fr a shrt time befre setting ff t frage. Fraging usually eases between midmrning and nn, when the turtle seeks shelter; hwever, sme may ntinue t frage thrughut the day in shady latins. Anther perid f fraging urs in the mid- r late afternn after a mid-day rest perid. All ativity, with the exeptin f nesting females, eases at dusk. In the suthwestern prtin f its range, ativity seems t be largely ntrlled by rainfall: it bemes inreasingly ative during and after thunderstrms. In the nrthern part f its range, it is less ative during rains r n l, verast days. Bdy temperature is raised t ptimum thrugh basking. The rnate bx turtle is a relatively gd swimmer, and n extremely warm days, it ften enters puddles r attle pnds t l itself. Air temperature is prbably the primary stimulus fr hibernatin. Ornate bx turtles hibernate alne (Ernst et al. 1994). Reprdutin: Sexual maturity seems mre lsely rrelated with size than with age (Legier 1960). Mating is mst mmn in spring, sn after emergene frm hibernatin, but smetimes urs in summer and fall. Nesting extends frm early May t mid-july and is mst frequent in June. Nesting sites that are pen, well drained, and have a sft substrate are preferred. The flask-shaped nests are exavated with the hind limbs beginning in the evening hurs and mpleted after dark. Cluth size ranges frm tw t eight eggs; hwever, fur t six are typial. Natural inubatin ranges frm days (x = 80). Fd habits: This speies is predminately arnivrus under natural nditins. Insets (hiefly beetles, aterpillars, and grasshppers) mpse apprximately 90 perent f the diet (Legier 1960). Other fd sures inlude arrin, mulberries, antalupes, tmates, strawberries, and blakberries. Ppulatins: Densities in Kansas ranged frm 6.4 t 15.6 turtles per hetare fr studies nduted by Legier (1960) t 15 t 44 turtles per hetare (Metalf and Metalf 1978). At the nrthern limits f the range, densities were rerded at 2.9 t 5.0 turtles per hetare in Wisnsin. Drff and Keith (1990) reprted sex ratis f male t female turtles at 1:1.56 (Drff and Keith 1990). Remarks: Prtetin status: Threatened: Iwa; Endangered: Wisnsin; Speies f speial nern: Arkansas.

9 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 REFERENCES Alsp, F. J. Ill, and Wallae, G. O. (1978). "Eastern bx turtle {Terrapene Carlina) feeding n TV twer-killed birds," Jurnal f the Tennessee Aademy f Siene 5:14. Antn, T. G. (1990). "Predatin n the huse sparrw, Passer dmestius, by the Gulf Cast bx turtle, Terrapene Carlina majr, under, seminatural nditins," Bulletin f the Chiag Herpetlgial Siety 25: Carr, A. F., Jr., and Huseal, T. W. (1981). "Pst-hibernatin behavir in Terrapene Carlina triunguis (Emydidae)," Suthwestern Naturalist 26: Cngell, K. (1978). "Nesting and egg laying behavir in Terrapene Carlina?' Preedings f the Pennsylvania Aademy f Siene 52:51-6. Diemer, J. E. (1992a). "Demgraphy f the trtise Gpherus plyphemus in nrthern Flrida," Jurnal f Herpetlgy 26: Diemer, J. E. (1992b). "Hme range and mvements f the trtise Gpherus plyphemus in nrthern Flrida," Jurnal f Herpetlgy 26: Ddd, C. K., Jr. (1986). "Desert and gpher trtises: Perspetives n nservatin apprahes." The gpher trtise and its mmunity, Preedings f the 5th Annual Management Gpher Trtise Cunil. Dr. R. Jaksn and R. J. Bryant, ed., Dlbeer, R. A. (1969). "Ppulatin density and hme range size f the eastern bx turtle {Terrapene. Carlina) in eastern Tennessee," Alabama State Bilgial Bulletin 16:49. Drff, A. M., and Keith, L. B. (1990). "Demgraphy and elgy f an rnate bx turtle {Terrapene rnata) ppulatin in suth-entral Wisnsin," Cpeia 1990: Duglass, J. R., and Layne, J. N. (1978). "Ativity and thermregulatin f the gpher trtise {Gpherus plyphemus) in suthern Flrida," Herpetlgia 4: Dundee, H. A., and Rssman, D. A. (1989). The amphibians and reptiles f Luisiana. Luisiana State University press, Batn Ruge. Ernst, C. H., Lvih, J. E., and Barbur, R. W. (1994). Turtles f the United States and Canada. N. P. Dutr, ed., Smithsnian Institutin. Ewing, H. E. (194). "Cntinued fertility in female bx turtles fllwing mating," Cpeia 194: Garner, J. A., and Landers, J. L. (1981). "Fds and habitat f the gpher trtise in suthwestern Gergia." Cnferene Preedings f the Sutheast Assiatin f Fish and Wildlife Agenies 5: Gibbns, J. W., and Nelsn, D. H. (1978). "The evlutinary signifiane f delayed emergene frm the nest by hathling turtles," Evlutin 2: Iversn, J. B. (1980). "The reprdutive bilgy f Gpherus plyphemus (Chelnia: Testudinidae)," Amerian Midland Naturalist 10: Jaksn, D. R. (1991). "Multiple luthes and nesting behavir in the Gulf Cast bx turtle," Flrida Field Naturalist 19: Landers, J. L., Garner, J. A., and MRae, W. A. (1980). "Reprdutin f gpher trtises {Gpherus plyphemus) in suthwestern Gergia," Herpetlgia 6:5-61. Legier, J. M. (1960). "Natural histry f the rnate bx turtle, Terrapene rnata rnata Agassiz," University f Kansas. Museum f Natural Histry 11: Metalf, A. L., and Metalf, E. (1978). "An experiment with hming in rnate bx turtles {Terrapene rnata rnata Agassiz)," Jurnal f Herpetlgy 12: Nihls, J. T. (199). "Range and hming f individual bx turtles," Cpeia 199: Reagan, D. P. (1974). "Habitat seletin in the three-ted bx turtle, Terrapene Carlina triunguis," Cpeia 1974:

10 Tehnial Nte EMRRP-SI-08 Stikel, L. F. (1978). "Changes in a bx turtle ppulatin during three deades," Cpeia 1978: Strang, C. A. (198). "Spatial and tempral ativity patterns in tw terrestrial turtles," Jurnal f Herpetlgy 17:4-47. Williams, C. E., Jr. (1961). "A study f the bx turtle, Terrapene Carlina Carlina (L.), ppulatin in Allee Memrial Wds," Preedings f the Indiana Aademy f Siene 71: Williams, E. C, Jr., and Parker, W. S. (1987). "A lng-term study f a bx turtle (Terrapene Carlina) ppulatin at Allee Memrial Wds, Indiana, with emphasis n survivrship," Herpetlgia 4:28-5. Wilsn, D. S., Mushinsky, H. R., and Fisher, R. A. (1997). "Speies prfile: Gpher trtise (Gpherus plyphemus) n military installatins in the sutheastern United States," Tehnial Reprt SERDP-97-10, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Statin, Viksburg, MS. Wright, S. (1982). "The distributin and ppulatin bilgy f the gpher trtise {Gpherus plyphemus) in Suth Carlina," M.S. thesis, Clemsn University, Clemsn, SC. 10'

Terrestrial Turtle Habitats Potentially Impacted by USACE Reservoir Operations

Terrestrial Turtle Habitats Potentially Impacted by USACE Reservoir Operations BACKGROUND: Changing water levels or other operations at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reservoirs may impact critical