Date of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree
Master of Science in Biology
Department
Biology
Committee Chair
Day Ligon
Abstract
Freshwater turtle research relies on several assumptions that influence how population structure and reintroduction outcomes are interpreted, including assumptions of equal detectability across species and demographic groups and rapid post-release convergence of reintroduced individuals with wild conspecifics. In this thesis, I evaluated both assumptions using two complimentary approaches. First, I surveyed a temperate riverine turtle community across an full annual cycle using multiple sizes of baited hoop nets to quantify seasonal and demographic variation in detectability. Second, I compared body composition of sympatric wild and reintroduced juvenile Alligator Snapping Turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) that had experienced the same environmental conditions for approximately five years, using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Reintroduced turtles exhibited significantly greater bone mineral mass than wild turtles, but did not differ in bone density, lean tissue mass, or fat mass, indicating substantial post-release convergence in body composition while suggesting persistence of some skeletal differences attributable to captive rearing. Community surveys did not support the assumption of equal detectability across species or demographic groups; instead, capture rates varied strongly by month, with different taxa and demographic groups exhibiting peak detectability at different times within the active season. These results indicate that surveys conducted during restricted portions of the year may misrepresent population structure and community composition. Sampling across the full active season reduces detectability bias and improves inference in freshwater turtle research, with implications for both ecological studies and applied management.
Keywords
Macrochelys temminckii, body composition, turtles, community, capture rate, demography, detectability, sampling bias
Subject Categories
Population Biology | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology | Zoology
Copyright
© Derek L. Bateman
Recommended Citation
Bateman, Derek L., "Reintroduction Outcomes and Detectability Bias in Freshwater Turtle Conservation" (2026). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4144.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4144
Open Access
