Riverine turtles in blackwater streams are generally understudied, but their populations are declining due to numerous anthropogenic factors. In 2007, I studied a population of the Suwannee Cooter (Pseudemys concinna suwanniensis), a turtle endemic to Florida, in the spring-fed tannic Santa Fe River. I found an abundant and healthy population of 32 individuals / ha, including all size classes. I obtained thermal profiles of 10 free-ranging individuals using miniature dataloggers. I failed to detect differences in thermal preference based on sex, but gathered support for the hypothesis that even in thermally stable and warm aquatic environments, aerial basking has thermoregulatory significance for the Cooters. Pronounced individual variation was evident in movement patterns: some individuals covered long distances quickly (more than 5 km in 7 days) while others maintained limited home ranges of less than 200 m. Limited paddle boating had no detected effects on the population. Continued and long-term research and monitoring will provide more needed biological information to be used in better conservation management. Not exceeding the existing levels of river use and banning the take of freshwater turtles should provide protection to the population.
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• Thesis (pdf) [available upon email request]
• Movement and spatial distribution [in preparation]
• The use of iButtons to develop thermal profiles of riverine turtles [in preparation]
• Paddle Boats and basking riverine turtles: a test of the risk disturbance hypothesis [in preparation]
• Basking platforms [in preparation]
• Population ecology and morphometrics [in preparation, with Dr. G. Johnston and A. Lau]

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• Article in The Gainesville Sun
• Excerpt from the nature show "Wild Florida": Turtles [will be made available later]

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I express my deepest gratitude to my advisor Dr. C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr. and my committee: Dr. Gerald Johnston, Dr. Harvey Lillywhite, and Dr. Max Nickerson for their continuous mentorship and encouragement throughout the long process.

Jim Wood and the Santa Fe Canoe Outpost staff offered invaluable information and logistical support.

I am indebted to William Barichivich and USGS-Gainesville who provided extremely valuable suggestions and logistical support.

Numerous people volunteered as great field assistants and were vital in amassing the data: Julia Altman, Ben Atkinson, Jason Butler, Christopher Cattau, Rebecca Cox, Kathleen Coyne, Michael Deidrick, Caitlin Hicks, Kristine Hoffmann, Alexander Iliev, Jen Johnston, Gerald Johnston, Robert Lara, Anthony Lau, James Nifong, Wes Oehmeg, Alexander Pries, Elizabeth Roznik, Travis Thomas, Brett Tornwall.

Alexander Iliev and Georgi Popgeorgiev provided important help with statistics and data analysis.

Kristine Hoffmann, Samuel Jones, David Pike, Elizabeth Roznik, and Matt Shirley donated field equipment.

I thank V. Morgan Tyrone and the staff of O´Leno State Park / River Rise Preserve State Park.

Dr. Dale Jackson and Dr. Peter Meylan gave me helpful insights about the life of the Suwannee Cooter.

Megan Wetherington graciously provided me with river level data.

Kristine Grayson shared her knowledge about iButtons.

Sarah Tobing helped me by identifying plants.

My sincere appreciation goes to the SNRE / WEC office staff for helping me jump through bureaucratic hoops. ~ top ~