Meeting Abstract
Reproductive activities often expose individuals to predators, yet behavioral decisions can minimize predation and may depend on many variables. For example, terrestrial nesting can be risky for aquatic turtles, and a female’s decision to flee from a predator may be a function of her distance from safe habitat. We monitored nesting painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) to examine their response (continue to nest vs. flee) to a human observer (potential predator) depending on the (1) distance between the turtle and the observer, (2) distance between the turtle and the water, and (3) reproductive stage at the time of the encounter (i.e., searching for a site to nest vs. excavating a nest). We found that females were less likely to flee as the distance to water increased, and that turtles already excavating nests were more likely to continue nesting than those still searching for nest sites. We found no evidence that the distance to the observer influenced whether turtles nested. Females that traveled farther from water and that had begun excavation may have continued nesting because they had invested more energy and were closer to finishing their nesting activities. In addition, fleeing farther from water or while excavating a nest may be more costly and/or less effective compared to fleeing while closer to water or while searching for a nest site. Our study suggests that investment in nesting activity influences flight decisions of painted turtles during this important and potentially vulnerable period of reproduction.
