Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Montana, 2007. / Title from title screen. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 14, 2008. Includes 2 appendices: Potential effects of highway mortality and habitat fragmentation on a population of painted turtles in Montana, and Fencing methods and efficacy for minimizing turtle road kill and directing turtles to crossing structures, both by Kathy Griffin and Daniel H. Pletscher. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1963. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 46-47)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2009. / Title from title screen (site viewed July 6, 2010). PDF text: ix, 103 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 2 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3365844. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1967. / Typescript. "The influence of sampling methods on the estimation of population structure in painted turtles" [by] Catherine Ream and Robert Ream, reprinted from The American midland naturalist, vol. 75, no. 2 (April 1966), p. 325-338 : inserted between leaves 3 and 4. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 82-84).

No description available.

Urbanization is one of the major causes of the global biodiversity crisis with reptiles being particularly vulnerable, due to factors such as habitat loss and road mortality. Behaviour plays a crucial role in determining the success of urban animals, but behavioural responses to urbanization are rarely studied in reptiles. I studied the differences in aggression, boldness, and exploration in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) living in urban and undisturbed areas. I hypothesized that aggression, boldness, and exploration would increase in urban painted turtles. I studied painted turtles from 24 sites across an urban to undisturbed gradient in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada over the summers of 2021 and 2022. I captured turtles with hoop nets and tested their behaviour in the field, and the repeatability of their behaviour in the laboratory. I found that urbanization had a statistically significant, positive effect on painted turtle aggression and boldness, and no effect on exploration. Overall, I determined that urbanization is affecting painted turtle behaviour, but further research is required to better understand the factors behind this.

No description available.

No description available.

Sex ratio theory suggests that the strength of intersexual selection will increase as a population more male-biased; reflecting increased selectivity in mate choice. Populations of pond turtle have varying adult sex ratios, in painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), reported sex ratios range from female biased (1:3) to male biased (3:1). I investigated the effect of sex ratio on male reproductive success (quantified as “fertilization success”) in painted turtles. I examined the mating system of painted turtles in a female-biased population using microsatellite paternity analysis, relating variation in male fertilization success to male phenotype and offspring survival, employed ex situ behavioural observation to clarify the mechanism behind the variation in male fertilization success and used agent-based modeling to simulate the effects of changing sex ratio, population density and proportions of male phenotype on male fertilization success. Small males contributed sperm to a greater number of clutches than did larger males, but were not more likely to reproduce in a season than larger males. There was no offspring fitness advantage related to male body size and no relationship between male claw length and fertilization success. Large male painted turtles courted at a higher frequency than small males. I found no relationship between male courtship behavior and claw length. Females showed no preference for males of any phenotype. Agent-based simulations were based on the distribution of best fit from the observed data; an amalgam of two Poisson distributions, each with its own probability of success and proportional representation in the final distribution. Increased female sex ratio bias, increased population density and increased proportions of “more successful” males all increased the mean and variance of male fertilization success, based on increased encounter rate among turtles. Small and large male painted turtles enjoy different fertilization success. It is uncertain whether this difference is based on active female choice, cryptic female choice, sperm competition or a combination of factors. Sex ratio simulations predict the opposite result as that predicted by sex ratio theory. These contrary results should be compared to simulations manipulating choosiness and field data from painted turtle populations to clarify mechanisms influencing male reproductive success.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.