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Differences in habitat use by blanding's turtles, Emydoidea blandingii, and painted turtles, Chysemys picta, in the Nebraska sandhills

R. Bruce Bury·David J. Germano
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Abstract

We sampled a variety of wetlands in the Nebraska sandhills at Valentine National Wildlife Refuge. Significantly more individuals of painted turtles ( Chrysemys picta ) occurred in lakes and open waters than in marshes or small ponds, and the opposite was true for Blanding's turtles ( Emydoidea blandingii ). Besides this marked difference in habitat use, 46% of the captured E. blandingii in pond/marsh habitat were juveniles, but only 31.6% in lakes and open water. Current information suggests that marshes and small ponds are important habitat for juvenile turtles, especially Emydoidea blandingii .

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R. Bruce Bury, David J. Germano. 2003. Differences in habitat use by blanding's turtles, Emydoidea blandingii, and painted turtles, Chysemys picta, in the Nebraska sandhills. https://doi.org/10.1674/0003-0031(2003)149%5B0241%3Adihubb%5D2.0.co%3B2

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