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Impact of recreational power boating on two populations of northern map turtles ( Graptemys geographica )
Author(s) -
Bulté G.,
Carrière M.A.,
BlouinDemers G.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
aquatic conservation: marine and freshwater ecosystems
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.95
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1099-0755
pISSN - 1052-7613
DOI - 10.1002/aqc.1063
Subject(s) - recreation , wildlife , geography , habitat , population , juvenile , fishery , ecology , demography , biology , sociology
Abstract1. Recreational power boating is growing in popularity in North America. This activity is known to have lethal and sub‐lethal effects on aquatic wildlife and freshwater turtles may be particularly sensitive to this activity. 2. This study reports on patterns of traumatic injuries inflicted by powerboat propellers to northern map turtles ( Graptemys geographica ) from two sites differing in boat traffic intensity in Ontario, Canada. 3. The relative vulnerability of turtles was assessed, in light of seasonal patterns in boat traffic, as a function of sex‐ and age‐specific movement patterns, habitat use, and basking behaviour obtained by radio‐telemetry. Population viability analyses (PVA) were also conducted to evaluate the potential demographic consequences of mortality induced by powerboats. 4. The prevalence of propeller injuries was two to nine times higher in adult females than in adult males and juvenile females. Patterns of movement, habitat use, and aquatic basking indicated that adult females are more exposed to collisions with boats. PVA showed that boat‐induced mortality in adult females could lead to rapid population extinction if the risk of mortality when hit by a boat is greater than 10%. 5. The results of this study showed that recreational power boating is a serious threat to northern map turtles, even under moderate boat traffic. The need to adopt measures restricting boat traffic in areas important to turtles is discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.