Spatial ecology and core-area protection of Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)

We documented sizes of terrestrial protection zones around wetlands that are necessary to protect all of the core area of Blanding’s Turtles ( Emydoidea blandingii (Holbrook, 1838)) on the Edwin S. George Reserve (ESGR) in southeastern Michigan. Data collected over three decades indicated that 39% of the 83 females and 50% of the 60 males maintained the same residence wetland for more than 20 years, and 33% of the 182 nonresident females used nesting areas on the ESGR for more than 20 years. Approximately 20% of resident males and females were captured in 21 temporary wetlands on the ESGR. Nesting areas were located from 100 to 2000 m from residence wetlands, and some of 45 females (18%) used up to six different nesting areas, some separated by >1000 m. Terrestrial protection zones 300 and 450 m around all wetlands (residence and temporary) protect 90% and 100% of nests, respectively. Terrestrial protection zones of 300, 1000, and 2000 m around residence wetlands only are required to protect 14%, 87%, and 100% of adults, respectively. A protection zone that encompasses the activities of most or all Blanding’s Turtles has a high probability of including the core areas of most other semiaquatic organisms.