Hydroclimate effects on the reproduction of the Giant South American River Turtle (Podocnemis expansa)

SIMONCINI, M.; MALVASIO, A.

Congreso; 18th Annual Symposium on the Conservation and Biology of Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles - TSA (Turtle Survival Alliance).; 2020

TSA (Turtle Survival Alliance).

Understanding how climate affects the reproductive biology of biota is important to predict their responses to climate change or other anthropic impacts. Precipitation and river level (at local and headwater) are relevant factors that regulate aquatic biota populations. Three main hypotheses were tested: (1) Average annual rainfall and river level at the end of the rainy season facilitates migration; (2) Rainfall and river level during embryonic development can flood the nests and reduce eggs viability; and (3) Rainfall and river level at hatching time benefits embryonic development. In this study, we used a long-term time series of climatic data to identify their effects on nest number, clutch size (number of eggs per nest), hatching success, and unfeasible eggs of the Giant South American River Turtle (Podocnemis expansa) in a protected area at the Brazilian Amazon.