Foraging Ecology and Habitat Use of the Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys Terrapin Terrapin) in Southern Chesapeake Bay
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W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 2013 Foraging ecology and habitat use of the northern diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) in southern Chesapeake Bay Diane C. Tulipani College of William and Mary - Virginia Institute of Marine Science Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Fresh Water Studies Commons, and the Oceanography Commons Recommended Citation Tulipani, Diane C., "Foraging ecology and habitat use of the northern diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin terrapin) in southern Chesapeake Bay" (2013). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539616884. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.25773/v5-tfhj-v826 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Foraging ecology and habitat use of the northern diamondback terrapin [Malaclemys terrapin terrapin ) in southern Chesapeake Bay A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Marine Science The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Diane C. Tulipani 2013 APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Diane C. Tulipani Approved, by the Committee, August 2013 Romuald N. Lipcius, Ph.D. Committee Chairman/Advisor RandoififDM. Chambers, Ph.D. Eric J. Hilton, Ph.D. Drew LaMar, Ph.D. Rochelle D. Seitz. Ph.D Willem M. Roosenburg, Ph.D. Ohio University Athens, Ohio ^ DEDICATION To the loving memory of my grandmother, Mary Burns Hunt. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................................................................................VI LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................................................VIII LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................................XII ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................XIV AUTHOR'S NOTE.................................................................................................................. XV CHAPTER 1............................................................................................................................. 3 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................4 LITERATURE CITED..........................................................................................................10 CHAPTER 2: FORAGING BY NORTHERN DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS {MALACLEMYS TERRAPIN TERRAPIN) IN SEAGRASS BEDS AND SALT MARSHES OF LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY: VARIATION BY SIZE AND HABITAT..............................................................................14 ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................ 15 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................16 MATERIALS AND METHODS............................................................................................. 20 RESULTS........................................................................................................................... 25 DISCUSSION......................................................................................................................31 LITERATURE CITED......................................................................................................... 40 TABLES.............................................................................................................................45 FIGURES............................................................................................................................53 CHAPTER 3:.SELECTIVE FORAGING AND SEARCH SUCCESS OF NORTHERN DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS 0MALACLEMYS TERRAPIN TERRAPIN) IN LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY..............60 ABSTRACT........................................................................................................................61 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 62 MATERIALS AND METHODS............................................................................................. 66 RESULTS........................................................................................................................... 77 DISCUSSION......................................................................................................................87 LITERATURE CITED......................................................................................................... 95 TABLES............................................................................................................................ 99 FIGURES..........................................................................................................................112 APPENDICES...................................................................................................................121 CHAPTER 4: TRACKING DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS (MALACLEMYS TERRAPIN) USING ULTRASONIC TELEMETRY: RANGE AND HABITAT USE IN SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEGETATION BEDS IN SOUTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY......................................................130 ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................131 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 132 MATERIALS AND METHODS........................................................................................... 136 RESULTS.........................................................................................................................144 iv DISCUSSION....................................................................................................................151 LITERATURE CITED........................................................................................................156 TABLES...........................................................................................................................160 FIGURES.......................................................................................................................... 167 APPENDICES................................................................................................................... 171 CHAPTER 5: EELGRASS [ZOSTERA MARINA) SEED DISPERSAL BY NORTHERN DIAMONDBACK TERRAPINS {MALACLEMYS TERRAPIN TERRAPIN) IN LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY...............................................................................................................177 ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... 178 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................179 MATERIALS AND METHODS........................................................................................... 183 RESULTS......................................................................................................................... 189 DISCUSSION....................................................................................................................192 TABLES...........................................................................................................................204 FIGURES..........................................................................................................................210 APPENDICES................................................................................................................... 213 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................. 217 LITERATURE CITED....................................................................................................... 222 VITA....................................................................................................................................224 V ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertation research certainly could not have been completed without the support and guidance of many individuals. In particular, I want to thank my advisor. Dr. Romuald Lipcius, whose suggestion it was that 1 attend the diamondback terrapin symposium in 2007 that led me to tackling this project. I am also grateful to Dr. Randy Chambers for answering my questions while I learned about all things terrapin. I want to acknowledge the depth and expertise of my remaining committee, Drs. Rochelle Seitz, Willem Roosenburg, Eric Hilton, and Drew LaMar for reminding me of the reality of competitive research, and encouraging me to keep moving forward. I would also express my deep appreciation to the entire faculty in the School of Marine Science for their dedication and willingness to impart their experiences and knowledge with all of us graduates students. I would like to