BIRK, K.L.*; RUANE, S.; DINKELACKER, S.A.; JANZEN, F.J.; Iowa State University; University of Central Arkansas; University of Central Arkansas; Iowa State University: Effects of Environmental Conditions during Embryonic Development on Neonates of the Imperiled Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)

Blanding’s turtles have been listed as a species of special concern, threatened, or even endangered by states and provinces within their range. One reason that populations are susceptible to decline or extinction is long distance migration to nesting sites that tend to be near roadways and railways. In addition to increasing mortality of nesting turtles, these localities may artificially elevate the temperature and reduce the soil moisture of the nests. To explore the effects of altered environmental conditions during embryonic development on neonates, we incubated 220 eggs from 26 clutches of E. blandingii from Nebraska at 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 C and at -150 and -850 kPa. Turtles from warmer temperatures hatched sooner than those from cooler temperatures. Consistent with results for other species of turtles with flexible-shelled eggs, we found that turtles from warmer, drier treatments were smaller than those from cooler, moister treatments. We also expect that turtles from warmer temperatures will be more likely to be female than those from cooler temperatures and that turtles from drier substrates will exhibit inferior locomotor performance compared to those from moister substrates. Our laboratory findings ultimately will be complemented by, and interpreted in the context of, measures of thermal and hydric properties of roadside/railway vs. �natural� nest locations as well as values for the same phenotypic parameters measured on hatchlings deriving from these field nests. Our research will provide insight into secondary effects of roadways/railways on these imperiled turtles that can aid development of successful conservation plans.