Turtle Habitat Use in a Reach of the Upper Mississippi River

Abstract

Turtle community composition was determined in three habitats—open river, slough, and backwater—of the Mississippi River near Hamilton, Illinois. While seven species of turtles were collected during the study, distinct communities were found in each of the habitats. The open river site was dominated by female smooth softshell turtles, Apalone muticas, which made up approximately 80% of the community in this habitat. While turtles were abundant in the backwater habitat, only three species, red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta), common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), and painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), were collected. Though all three species were common in the backwater, the red-eared slider was the most abundant. The habitat with the most abundant and diverse turtle community was the slough. In addition to red-eared sliders, the most abundant species collected, common snapping turtles, painted turtles, smooth softshell turtles, spiny softshell turtles (Apalone spinifera), common map turtles (Graptemys geographica), and false map turtles (G. pseudogeographica), were also collected in this habitat. The slough habitat had permanent water with low current velocities and abundant basking and refuge sites, which provide the best conditions for most of the turtle species collected.