Changes in home range sizes and body condition of woodland box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) along urban-rural gradients

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Kiyoshi Sasaki, Ashley Graham and Jack Nguyen, Department of Biology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC

Background/Question/Methods
Urbanization threatens more than a third of species globally, yet mechanisms behind population declines remain poorly understood for most species. To determine factors underlying a decline of woodland box turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) in a rapidly urbanizing region of the southeastern United States, we examined the pattern of individual space use and body condition along urban landcover gradients characterized by forest cover, impervious surface cover, and road density at three spatial extents (500 m, 1500 m, and 2500 m around the centroid of individual home range).
Results/Conclusions
Home range size declined with increasing impervious area. Similarly, body condition declined with increasing impervious area. These statistical associations were evident only in females at the 500-m scale. These results suggest that activities of females are restricted by the impervious area surrounding habitat patches. Because females have larger home range than males in the study populations, females may be more vulnerable to changes in surrounding landcover than males. Reduced body condition of females in urban forests may be a direct consequence of a reduced home range. Reduced body condition may reduce survival and reproductive success, and, therefore, may have negative repercussions on population persistence.