Effects of habitat alterations on bog turtles (glyptemys muhlenbergii): A comparison of two populations

Bog Turtles (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) are imperiled by habitat loss and degradation; yet, population responses to habitat management and restoration efforts have not been well documented because of the difficulties of studying this long-lived species. We compared Bog Turtle population demography and habitat use from 1994 to 2009 at two sites in Massachusetts, USA: one site was managed for nonnative invasive species and natural succession (Site 1), and the other site was flooded from American Beaver (Castor canadensis) activity resulting in an expansion of nonnative invasive plants (Site 2). A mark-recapture study involving 90 individual turtles indicated that survival rates and population sizes remained stable before and after habitat management at Site 1 where the extent of high suitable habitat remained the same, whereas population size and survival rates declined at Site 2 where the extent of low suitable habitat increased. Together, these results suggest that habitat management and restoration efforts can improve or maintain the status of Bog Turtle populations. This study supports the value of properly planned and enacted habitat management actions for this federally threatened and state endangered species.