Effectiveness of nest site restoration for the endangered northern map turtle. Report no. 1 : nest site selection and nest success from 2013-2014 and establishment of environmental center.

Details

• Creators:
  Seigel, Richard A. ; Anderson, Kaite ; Durkin, Brian ; Richards-Dimitrie, Teal
• Corporate Creators:
  Towson University
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Aquatic Life Endangered Species Habitat (Ecology) Location Restoration Ecology
• Publication/ Report Number:
  MD-15-SHA-TU-1-01
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Maryland
• Corporate Publisher:
  Maryland. State Highway Administration. Office of Policy & Research
• Abstract:
  The Northern Map Turtle, Graptemys geographica, is a Maryland state Endangered Species, found only in the
  
  lower Susquehanna River in Maryland. The only area where nests of this species are not heavily impacted by
  
  predators occurs in the town of Port Deposit. However, turtles in Port Deposit must often cross a gravel parking lot
  
  with constant vehicular traffic to reach the nesting sites, and turtles may become disoriented by human disturbance
  
  and move away from the river, towards the roadway, Maryland Route 222. In addition, the soil in which the turtles
  
  are nesting is heavily compacted and turtles often abandon nest sites after unsuccessful nesting attempts. The
  
  objectives of this project were to (a) to rehabilitate the existing nesting areas in Port Deposit to enhance nesting
  
  success, (b) find ways to avoid disturbance by humans during nesting, and (c) work with town officials in
  
  establishing an environmental education center about the Susquehanna River and the Northern Map Turtle.
  
  Data from 2013-2014 showed that nesting in Port Deposit occurred from late May to late July. Numbers of nests
  
  varied from 7-8 per year and no nests were attacked by predators. Most nests were found adjacent to the Tomes
  
  Landing Marina, but a few were found upstream near condominiums. Distance from water ranged from 1-60
  
  meters and no differences were found between years. Hatching of this species generally overwinter in the nest,
  
  with emergence in April and May of the following year. TU staff worked with officials from SHA and Port
  
  Deposit to design the interpretive signs for the education center and the text of these signs is largely complete.
  
  Installation will occur in 2015 as part of Phase II of this project. Rehabilitation of the nesting areas has also been
  
  designed and installation will occur in 2015 as part of Phase II of this project.
  
  
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  SP309B4N
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:233de24bbd0efe17274173a28dd13da4405ae4062b0908dfe79551b32c6b294f
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/28880/dot_28880_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.29 MB ]