Aaron C. Gooley
Thesis Other Research About Me Photography
Degrees
M.S. Biological Sciences
from Marshall
University, 2010
B.S. in Wildlife & Fish
Conservation and Management from the University of Rio Grande, 2008
Recreation and Wildlife
Technology Associate Degree from Hocking College, 2008
Wildlife Science Associate
Degree from Hocking
College, 2006
Contact Information:
Phone: (937)
286-0806
E-mail: acgooley@yahoo.com
Thesis:
Testing the Behavioral Responses
of West Virginia Turtles to Roads and Vehicles (.pdf)
I will be presenting the
results of my research at the 2010 Turtle Survival Alliance Annual Conference
in Orlando, FL
Road
mortality has been identified as a major threat to many turtle species;
however, response to passing vehicles, crossing speed, and general behavior
while crossing roads has never been investigated in turtles. To investigate
these factors, Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata),
Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene c. carolina), and Stinkpots (Sternotherus
odoratus) were collected and placed in a release box on the side of a
closed road with an active road running parallel to it 26 m away. Turtles were
released via a pulley-operated door facing the road, and their actions
videotaped by an observer in a nearby blind. A vehicle was driven past crossing
turtles on the closed road to simulate passing traffic in the adjoining lane.
Resulting videos were used to determine the frequency of responses and length
of stops due to passing vehicles, effective crossing speed, and other on-road
behavior. Following trials, turtles were released at the original point of
capture. Eastern Box Turtles stopped due to the stimulus of active road
vehicles more than either Stinkpots or Midland Painted Turtles (87.50%, 33.33%,
and 22.22%, respectively), and when stopped, they remained stationary for a greater
time. All species reacted to a passing closed road vehicle by stopping on the
road; however, Stinkpots had a greater mean stop time than Eastern Box Turtles
or Midland Painted Turtles, although differences between Stinkpots and Eastern
Box Turtles were not statistically significant. Eastern Box Turtles averaged
slower effective crossing speeds than Midland Painted Turtles or Stinkpots.
These results indicate that Eastern Box Turtles are at greater risk of
mortality when crossing divided highways than either Stinkpots or Midland
Painted Turtles due to slower effective crossing speeds and a higher stop
response rate to opposing lane vehicles.
