MS Thesis Defense | Andrea Colton

Thermal Ecology and Ecophysiology of Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata)

Thermal environments shape the physiology, behavior, and energetic requirements of ectotherms, making an understanding of thermoregulatory strategies essential for predicting responses to environmental change. Ornate Box Turtles (Terrapene ornata) are a threatened species in Illinois that inhabit fragmented prairie systems with limited thermal heterogeneity. I investigated thermoregulatory behaviors and resting metabolic rates (RMR) of Ornate Box Turtles across three populations in Illinois to evaluate landscape-level variation in thermal biology and baseline energetic requirements. Turtles exhibited general thermoconformity with evidence of active thermoregulation to buffer against elevated temperatures. Energy demands were influenced by mass and temperature but remained low throughout the active season but are projected to increase under climate warming scenarios. Together, my findings provide a framework for incorporating thermal ecology and energetics into habitat management and conservation planning.