Population Viability Analysis of Blanding’s Turtles in Nova Scotia

Freshwater turtles are one of the most at-risk vertebrate groups, with nearly two-thirds of species facing extinction risk. Nest predation by mammals is a major threat to freshwater turtles, which has resulted in community-based nest protection efforts in many regions around the world, including Nova Scotia, Canada. Although widely implemented, the efficacy of nest protection programs have been questioned, especially for long-lived species such as freshwater turtles. While many agree that protecting nests improves survival of eggs and hatchling life stages, and thereby increasing recruitment into the population, it is not yet clear whether these individuals reach adulthood to reproduce and reduce chronic rates of population decline. As a result, conservation organizations face a critical knowledge gap when prioritizing recovery actions. We aim to develop an updated population viability analysis (PVA) to evaluate how nest protection efforts improve long-term viability of the endangered Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) in Nova Scotia, Canada using a unique 20-year community-based dataset. Such assessments are necessary for guiding future community engagement and managing species of conservation concern, both within canada and globally.

Faculty Supervisor:

Julia Riley

Student:

Partner:

Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Other services (except public administration); Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

Mount Allison University

Program: