Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 Sensitive Turtle Hbitts Ptentilly Impted by USACE Reservir Opertins PURPOSE: This is the first in series f tehnil ntes nerning sensitive turtle grups. It prvides n verview f envirnmentlly sensitive turtle speies nd hbitts s reprted by resure mngers t U.S. Army Crps f Engineers (USACE) reservir prjets. Current Federl nd stte legl prtetin sttus fr U.S. turtle speies re summrized nd USACE Distrits nd reservir prjets ptentilly impted by turtle nservtin issues re identified. Fr eh turtle speies identified s Suthern Pinted Turtle ptentilly impted by reservir pertins, life pht by Den Dikersn histry is summrized nd hbitt requirements re desribed in subsequent tehnil ntes (Tehnil Ntes EMRRP-SI-02 thrugh EMRRP-SI-08). BACKGROUND: Chnging wter levels r ther pertins t USACE reservirs hve ptentil dverse impts n the hbitts f sme envirnmentlly sensitive turtle speies. These impts inlude hnges t vegettin nd ther hbitt prmeters tht stress bilgil requirements suh s feeding, reprdutin, nesting, shelter, nd vrius speies-speifi behvirs. USACE Distrits nd regultry genies hve reprted reservir impts t speifi terrestril, quti, nd semi-quti turtle speies s imprtnt issues t vrius reservir prjets. Hbittbsed evlutins f reservir impts n these envirnmentlly sensitive speies re ritilly needed t subsequently prvide guidelines t prevent r melirte impts nd imprve wtershed mpnents. METHODS: This study evluted the extent f issues nd gegrphil ltins fr envirnmentlly sensitive turtle speies ffeted by reservir pertins Crps-wide (Figure 1). Pririty speies were identified nd tegrized int seven grups rding t hbitt r life-histry requirements (Figure 2, Tble 1). These dt were gthered frm respnses t n e-mil (r fxed) survey sent t ll resure mngers t 456 USACE reservir r ther wter-ntrl struture prjets (i.e., pls, lks, dms). Current Federl nd stte listings fr speies prtetin were gthered nd ssimilted fr turtle speies (Figures nd 4). Life histry nd hbitt requirement infrmtin pertinent t ptentil reservir pertins (i.e., temprl, sptil, nd physil prmeters) ws ssimilted fr eh pririty speies. The prduts frm this study prtively ddress high-pririty issues ssited with reservir pertin impts n envirnmentlly sensitive turtle speies nd their hbitts nd llw resure mngers t quikly ddress the ssited bilgil, physil, nd legl requirements (Figure 5). TOt **^4 NW052J U9
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 CE Reservir Prjets i >> LA J(h >^#- A CE Reservir Prjets ^"-»v^. vr CE Prjets with Turtle Issues \ v v> Figure 1. Crps reservir prjets with turtle issues Turtle Speies f Speil Cnern Figure 2. Pririty turtle speies Sttes with Turtle Speies f Speil Cnern A Ltin f CE Prjets with Turtle Issues
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 Tble 1 Turtles Ptentilly Impted by Reservir Opertins Turtle Grup Turtle Cmmn Nme Sientifi Nme Snpping Turtles Alligtr snpping Mrlemys temminkii FC Cmmn snpping Chelydr serpentin 0 Mp/Swbk Turtles Cgle's mp Grptemys glei FC Flse mp G. pseudgegrphi S Ouhit mp G. p. uhitensis 0 Mp Grptemys gegrphi S Blk-knbbed swbk Grptemys nigrind S Ringed swbk Grptemys ulifer FT Wetlnd Turtles Blndings Emydide blndingii FC Bg Clemmys muhlenbergii FT Wd Clemmys insulpt S Sptted Clemmys guttt S Western pnd Clemmys mrmrt S Riverine Turtles Western hiken Deirhelys retiulri (ssp) S Pinted (western nd suthern) Chrysemys pit (ssp) C Red ered Trhemys sript elegns C Sftshell Turtles Smth sftshell Aplne muti C Estern spiny sftshell A. spinifer spinifer C Spiny sftshell A. spinifer S Mud/Musk Turtles Yellw mud Kinstemn f. flvesens S Illinis mud K. f. spneri FC Stinkpt Sterntherus drtus S Terrestril Turtles Ornte bx Terrepene. mt S FT Federlly thretened FC Federl ndidte fr prtetin S Stte prteted C Speies f speil stte nern O Other prtetin sttus Estern bx Terrepene. Crlin S Gpher trtise Gpherus plyphemus FT Prtetin Sttus
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 Federl Turtle Prtetin nd Reservir Issues \ V Sttes with Federlly Prteted Thretened/Endngered Turtle Speies A Ltin f CE Prjets with Turtle Issues Figure. Federl listings fr turtle speies prtetin Stte Turtle Prtetin nd Reservir Issues Sttes with Stte Prteted Thretened/Endngered Turtle Speies Ltin f CE Prjets with Turtle Issues Figure 4. Stte listings fr turtle speies prtetin
i Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS IDENTIFIED O L. x r r r- Snpper 1 Swbk 1 Wetlnd Riverine Sftshell Mud/Musk Terrestril 12 4 5 Number f Speies 2- Snpper 5 Swbk i»- ' : t O Wetlnd =_«=^^ t t * Riverine l i! h-,5, Sftshell - - * fj Mud/Musk h- Terrestril 1 0 11 i 1 ' 2 4 6 8 Number f Distrits Identified! 1 i g L. O Snpper Swbk Wetlnd 05 * Riverine TO Sftshell " 1 i m pr^t 1 ; 1 Mud/Musk I Terrestril L^^f^mf^^mmy^^ j ( } 10 20 0 40 Number f Prjets Identified Figure 5. Ptentil impts identified
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 SURVEY RESULTS: The 456 USACE reservir nd wter-ntrl struture prjets surveyed represented 1 USACE Distrits. Of these, persnnel frm 19 prjets (70 perent) respnded, whih represented 0 Distrits. Frm the prjets tht respnded, 105 respnses ( perent) indited knwn issues nerning envirnmentlly sensitive turtle speies nd 214 (67 perent) indited n knwn turtle-relted issues. The 105 prjets with ptentil turtle issues represented 14 Distrits nd 6 Divisins (Tble 2). A ttl f 25 speies f turtles were identified t the 105 prjets. These 25 speies inlude Federlly prteted speies, 4 speies urrently being nsidered fr Federl prtetin, nd 18 speies with prtetin in t lest ne stte (Tble ). The 25 turtle speies were tegrized int 7 grups rding t their hbitt r lifehistry requirements. The 7 grups inluded snpping, mp r swbk, wetlnd, riverine, sftshell, mud r musk, nd terrestril turtles. TURTLE GROUPS AND HABITAT DESCRIPTIONS Snpping Turtles. This grup inludes nly tw speies; the lligtr snpping turtle nd mmn snpping turtle. The lligtr snpping turtle is restrited t U.S. river systems tht drin int the Gulf f Mexi, wheres the mmn snpping turtle rnge extends thrughut the United Sttes est f the Rky Muntins (Ernst et l. 1994). Bth speies prefer benthi living nd frging nd re pprtunisti mnivrus svengers. Alligtr snpping turtles mst frequently ur in the deep wter f rivers, nls, nd lkes. Cmmn snpping turtles n be fund in lmst every kind f freshwter hbitt. Althugh bilgil dt n lligtr snpping turtles re severely lking, reprts f ppultin delines hve been ttributed t mmeril hrvesting fr fd nd t the pet trde (Prithrd 1989). Cmmn snpping turtles re mng the mre bundnt quti turtles; hwever, verlleting hs seriusly redued mny ppultins (Ernst et l. 1994). Alligtr snpping turtles re Federl ndidtes fr prtetin nd in 15 sttes, mmn snpping turtles re either listed s stte speies f speil nern r rry hrvesting regultins. Envirnmentl issues ssited with these turtles were reprted by 25 USACE prjets frm Distrits. Mp nd Swbk Turtles. This is lrge grup, f whih 11 speies hve either Federl r stte prtetin. Six f these speies hve been ssited with envirnmentl issues t 20 USACE prjets frm 8 Distrits. Distributin f these turtles is speies-speifi. They lletively rnge thrughut the river systems frm Ohi, Indin, Illinis, Wisnsin, Minnest, nd the Dkts suthwrd t suthwestern Albm nd westwrd t estern Texs (Ernst et l. 1994). These turtles prefer wters with mderte t fst urrents, bundnt bsking strutures, nd wide sndbrs (Hynes nd MKwn 1974; Hrvey 1992; Dikersn nd Reine 1996). Mllusks nd ther invertebrtes re the primry fd items fr ll speies f this grup. Bsking is n imprtnt mpnent f the dily tivity f mp nd swbk turtles; therefre, the quntity nd qulity f bsking strutures will signifintly influene their urrene within hbitt (Dikersn nd Reine 1996). Ppultin delines fr mny f these speies re diretly ttributed t hbitt destrutin nd verhrvesting fr the pet trde (Ernst et l. 1994). Wetlnd Turtles. This grup inludes ne Federlly thretened, ne Federl ndidte, nd three stte-prteted turtle speies. These five speies were reprted t hve presented nservtin issues t 50 USACE prjets frm eight Distrits. The lletive rnge fr these turtles inludes sttes f the nrthestern United Sttes regin nd Atlnti nd Pifi stlines (Ck
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Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 Tble Summry f Turtle Prtetin Sttus Sttes 75 0) O O z S w > 5 4-* O ü) ö Turtle Grupings Snpping Mp/ Mud/ Terrestril Alligtr Cmmn Swbk Wetlnd Riverine Sftshell Musk Bx Trtise KY C C R MO C R S S R-2 S-2 IA S S-2 S MN C S-2 C Wl R S-2 R-2 S IN S S-2 S S S IL S S S S OH MI R C- R-2 C WV R R-2 R-2 R-6 R-2 R R ID MT C C WY KS C S NE R ND R C C SD S S NM AZ NV UT CA C R C F OR C C WA S C Hl AK Ttl 1 17 15 27 20 16 15 17 11 F = Federlly listed speies (thretened nd/r endngered) S = Stte listed speies (thretened nd/r endngered) C = Stte speies f speil nern R = Stte regulted fr pssessin nd/r hrvesting -Number= Number f speies prteted per tegry C S,C R F F F
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 1984; Grhm et l. 1987; Ernst et l. 1994). Typil hbitts inlude shllwer bdies f wter suh s wetlnd hbitts inluding swmps, bgs, wet pstures, pnds, nd riprin res f strems nd rivers. They re nt ssited with the lrger rivers f the Mississippi Vlley wtershed. Sme f these speies re nsidered semiquti. All f these speies re mnivrus svengers with the bulk f their diet nsisting f invertebrtes (Hlub nd Blmer 1977; Bury 1986). Destrutin f wetlnd hbitt nd lletin fr the pet trde hve used extintin f sme ppultins nd severely redued thers (Cllins 1990). Riverine Turtles. This grup inludes the lrgest number f speies, f whih 1 hve stte prtetin, 2 re listed s Federlly endngered, nd 1 is Federl ndidte fr legl prtetin. Althugh the riverine turtle grup ntins the mst speies, nly speies were reprted s hving ptentil envirnmentl issues t sme US ACE prjets (19 prjets frm 5 Distrits). Distributin f these turtles is speies-speifi; hwever, the lletive rnge f this grup vers ll but the Pifi stl, suthwestern, nd midwestern regins f the United Sttes (Ernst et l. 1994). These turtles upy mst freshwter hbitts within their rnge but prefer quiet wters with sft bttms, n bundne f quti plnts, nd suitble bsking sites (Ernst nd Brbur 1972). Adults f these turtles primrily feed pprtunistilly s mnivrus svengers. Yung turtles in this grup re primrily rnivrus. While vlumes f literture re vilble fr sme speies within this grup, very sprse infrmtin exists n thers. Envirnmentl ntmintin (i.e., pestiide pisning) nd exessive lleting fr the pet trde hve severely impted ppultins in sme res (Hll 1980, Wrwik et l. 1990). Sftshell Turtles. This grup f peulir-lking turtles inludes fur speies with legl prtetin in t lest ne stte nd nne with Federl prtetin sttus. Three f these speies re ssited with envirnmentl issues t six USACE prjets frm three Distrits. These turtles re widely distributed thrughut the United Sttes; hwever, the fur speies with stte prtetin sttus primrily ur within the Mississippi nd Ohi River wtershed (Ernst nd Brbur 1972). Typil hbitt is lrge rivers nd strems with mderte t fst urrents, sft r sndy bttms, quti vegettin, nd nerby sndbrs. The sftshell turtles were pled in grup seprte frm riverine turtles beuse f ertin behvirs unique t these turtles (i.e., burying in the sft bttm with nly the hed nd nek prtruding) nd their peulir physil hrteristis. Sftshell turtles re predminntly rnivrus; hwever, they smetimes nsume plnt mtter. Hbitt destrutin nd verhrvesting fr fd hve ntributed t signifint redutins in ppultins in sme res (Ernst et l. 1994). Mud nd Musk Turtles. This grup inludes ten speies with legl prtetin in t lest ne stte nd ne Federlly thretened speies. Three f these speies re ssited with envirnmentl issues t 2 USACE prjets frm ne Distrit. The lletive rnge fr these 10 envirnmentlly sensitive speies is widespred thrughut the entrl, suthestern, nd Atlnti stl regins f the United Sttes. Mud nd musk turtles re fund in lmst ny quiet wter within their rnge t inlude: swmps, wetlnds, sinkhles, rivers, reeks, pnds, lkes, reservirs, et. (Ernst et l. 1994). Mud nd musk turtles re pled in seprte grup beuse f mrphlgil nd behvirl differenes s well s the diversity f quti systems inhbited. Diet vries smewht gegrphilly but nsists primrily f quti invertebrtes. Hbitt destrutin is minly ttributed t delines in mud nd musk turtle ppultins.
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 Terrestril Turtles. This grup inludes the trtises nd bx turtles, with tw speies Federlly thretened nd three speies hving prtetin in t lest ne stte. Three f these prteted speies re ssited with envirnmentl issues t 21 US ACE prjets frm five Distrits. The three speies f trtises ur in three islted regins f the United Sttes (suthwest, suthern Texs, nd stl suthest). The tw prteted speies f bx turtles ur thrughut wide rnge f the estern United Sttes, but remin prteted in nly ertin sttes fr vrius resns. Althugh bth trtises nd bx turtles re terrestril, their preferred hbitts vry signifintly between grups s well s speies. Hbitts inlude stritly desert, lnglef pine, pririe, nd pen wdlnds. These turtles re knwn t hve well-defined hme rnges within hbitt. Gpher trtises re stritly herbivrus nd feed primrily n grsses, wheres bx turtles re mnivrus. Hbitt destrutin, pestiide pisning, lletin fr fd nd the pet trde, nd disese hve ll been ttributed t drmti delines in ppultins. ISSUES OF NCERN: Opertins suh s hnging wter levels t reservirs r ther wter-ntrl strutures my impt ritil hbitt prmeters fr sme turtles. These impts uld further redue ppultin numbers f turtles tht re lredy listed s stte r Federl endngered, thretened, r speil nern speies. Envirnmentl issues reprted by persnnel frm USACE prjets, the U.S. Fish nd Wildlife Servie, nd stte nservtin genies vry reginlly nd by turtle txnmi grup. Few studies hve ddressed these envirnmentl issues. Hbitt hnges tht lter ritil fd supplies my impt speifi r ll size lsses within speies r txnmi grup. Mp turtles my be extremely prne t impts frm flututins in fd supply beuse f the nrrw rnge in fd items in their diet. Redutins in the number f suitble bsking strutures n severely hnge the distributin f speies with strng bsking tendenies. These nerns were primrily reprted fr the mp/swbk nd riverine turtle grups. Flututins in wter levels during mnths f ld wether my fld hiberntin sites nd ptentilly drwn vulnerble turtles. This ws reprted s n envirnmentl issue f nern fr the snpping, wetlnd, mud/musk, nd terrestril turtle grups. Fr ll turtle grups, the mst mmnly reprted issues regrded ptentil destrutin r ltertin f nesting hbitt. Ptentil envirnmentl impts frm these issues my inlude hnges in speies distributin, delines in ppultin number, r shifts in ppultin struture. POINTS OF NTACT: Fr dditinl infrmtin, ntt the uthrs, Ms. Den Dikersn (601-64-772, dikerd@mil.wes.rmy.mil), Mr. Kevin J. Reine (601-64-46, reinek@mil. wes.rmy.mil), r Ms. Kim L. Herrmn (601-64-689), r the mnger f the Esystem Mngement nd Restrtin Reserh Prgrm, Dr. Russell F. Therit (601-64-27, therir @mil. wes.rmy.mil). This tehnil nte shuld be ited s fllws: Dikersn, D. D., Reine, K. J., nd Herrmn, K. L. (1999). "Sensitive turtle hbitts ptentilly impted by USACE reservir pertins." EMRRP Tehnil Ntes Clletin (TN EMRRP-SI-01), U.S. Army Engineer Reserh nd Develpment Center, Viksburg, MS. www.wes.rmy.mil/el/emrrp 10
Tehnil Nte EMRRP-SI-01 REFERENCES: Bury, R. B. (1986). "Feeding elgy f the turtle, Clemmys mrmrt." Jurnl f Herpetlgy 20:515-521. Cllins, D.E. (1990). "Western New Yrk bg turtles: Relits f ephemerl islnds r simply elusive?" Esystem mngement: Rre speies nd signifint hbitt, R. S. Mithell, C. J. Shevik, nd D. J. Lepld, eds,151-15. Bulletin N. 471, New Yrk Stte Museum, Pr. 15' Annul Nturl Ares Cnferene. Ck, F. R. (1984). Intrdutin t Cndin mphibins nd reptiles. Ntinl Museum f Cnd, Ottw. Dikersn, D. D., nd Reine, K. J. (1996). "Hbitt ssessment nd reltive bundne estimtes fr the ringed swbk turtle {Grptemys ulifer) in dredging sites f the west Perl River nvigtin prjet (Luisin)." Prjet reprt fr the U.S. Army Crps f Engineers, Viksburg Distrit, by the U.S. Army Crps f Engineers Wterwys Experiment Sttin, Envirnmentl Lbrtry, Viksburg, MS. Ernst, C. H., nd Brbur, R. W. (1972). Turtles f the United Sttes. University f Kentuky Press, Lexingtn. Ernst, C. H., Lvih, J. E., nd Brbur, R. W. (1994). Turtles f the United Sttes nd Cnd. N.P. Dutr, ed., Smithsnin Institutin. Grhm, T. E., Frsberg, J. E., nd Albright, J. J. (1987). "Updted distributin f Blnding's turtle, Emydide blndingi in Mine," Bulletin f Mrylnd Herpetlgil Siety 2: 119-121. Hll, R. J. (1980). "Effets f envirnmentl ntminnts n reptiles: A review," U.S. Fish nd Wildlife Servie Speil Siene Reprt n Wildlife 228:1-12. Hrvey, M. B. (1992). "The distributin f Grptemys pseudgegrphi n the upper Sbine River," Texs Jurnl f Siene 44:257-58. Hynes, D., nd MKwn, R. R. (1974). "A new speies f mp turtle (genus Grptemys) frm the Gudlupe River system in Texs," Tulne Studies in Zlgy nd Btny 18:14-52. Hlub, R. J., nd Blmer, T. J. (1977). "The bg turtle, Clemmys muhlenbergii...& nturl histry," HERP, Bulletin f New Yrk Herpetlgil Siety 1(2):9-2. Prithrd, P. C. H. (1989). The lligtr snpping turtle: Bilgy nd nservtin. Milwukee Publi Museum, Milwukee, WI. Wrwik, C, Steedmn, C, nd Hlfrd, T. (1990). "Elgil implitins f the red-ered turtle trde," Texs Jurnl f Siene 42:419-22. 11