Abundance and harvest proportion of river turtles in Missouri
| Autor: | Jeffrey T. Briggler, Robert A. Gitzen, Stephanie A. Shaffer, Joshua J. Millspaugh |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
0106 biological sciences
Chelydra serpentina Aquatic Science 010603 evolutionary biology 01 natural sciences law.invention law Abundance (ecology) lcsh:QH540-549.5 River turtles Turtle (robot) commercial turtle harvest lcsh:Environmental sciences Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics lcsh:GE1-350 Abundance estimation Missouri biology Ecology biology.organism_classification 010601 ecology Fishery Apalone spinifera harvest proportion lcsh:Ecology Apalone mutica Chelydra |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Freshwater Ecology, Vol 32, Iss 1, Pp 541-555 (2017) |
| ISSN: | 2156-6941 0270-5060 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/02705060.2017.1354087 |
| Popis: | Freshwater turtle populations are declining worldwide, yet managers have little information about the effects of commercial turtle harvests. In Missouri, the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), smooth softshell (Apalone mutica), and spiny softshell (Apalone spinifera) are harvested commercially in the Missouri River. In 2011 and 2012, we conducted mark–recapture of these species to estimate abundance on the Missouri River and two unharvested tributaries, the Osage and Gasconade Rivers. We conducted mock harvests, applying capture methods of the state's primary commercial harvester, to estimate plausible expected harvest proportions. Snapping turtle abundance per 2 km was lower at harvested units ( = 15; SE = 7.1; unharvested: = 90; SE = 40.3). Smooth softshell abundance was greater at harvested units ( = 59; SE = 7.9; unharvested: = 14; SE = 28.1), although the difference was not significant. Mean unique spiny softshell captures were similar at harvested ( = 18; SE = 4.3) and unharvested ( = 17; SE = 9.7) units. Expected harvest proportions averaged 23% across species (SE = 5%; range = 6%–79%), exceeding sustainable rates reported for turtles. Our results suggest that on a small scale, using these methods, harvesters can remove a substantial portion of river turtle populations. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|