Abstract
Basking is common in emydid turtles and is generally accepted to be a ther- moregulatory behavior. In 2004, we quantifi ed and described the basking behavior of turtles in the Central Canal of Indianapolis. This canal system fl ows through an urban landscape that is dominated by fragmented woodlots, residential areas, and commer- cial areas. We observed that basking turtles exhibited variable basking behavior, with spatial and temporal shifts in basking behavior from east-facing banks in the morn- ing to west-facing banks in the afternoon. Turtles in the Central Canal are subject to frequent disturbance, which altered basking behavior. Many turtles forewent aerial basking on emergent substrates for aquatic basking on vegetation mats, which main- tained warmer and more consistent temperatures than either emergent substrates or the surrounding water. Living in an intensively managed urban habitat, turtles in the Central Canal are susceptible to frequent anthropogenic perturbations, and future man- agement should consider the life history and ecology of urban turtle populations
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