Clarkson Integrator

Issue date: 11/10/08 Section: News

Dr. Tom Langen, Associate Professor of Biology at Clarkson, gave a lecture on road ecology on Friday, November 7. Road ecology is the study of roads as a land cover and the effects of these roads on the environment. Roads have a profound effect on the environment as they destroy the habitats of wildlife, create vegetation changes, alter animal behaviors, and serve as an entry point for pathogens and exotic species. Specifically, Tom has been studying road ecology with respect to several types of turtle species in the North Country. While this may not seem important, 50% of the St. Lawrence Valley is within 400 meters of a road and this can pose severe consequences for turtles and other wildlife in the area. Not all wildlife is affected by roads in the same manner. While there are numerous incidents of White Tail Deer being killed by motor vehicles, this has had nearly no effect on their population. Freshwater turtles are impacted more severely. Turtles are at a higher risk of being killed by motor vehicles for a variety of reasons: they are slow movers, they are attracted to roads for their heat and roadside vegetation, and rush hour traffic seems to coincide with turtle nesting habits. For these reasons, turtle populations could begin to dwindle within a matter of decades, if they haven't already. Certain types of roads pose a particular threat to turtles than others; specifically, causeways and roads in close proximity to wetlands tend to have more turtle fatalities than other types of roads, as these types of roads are near the turtle's natural habitat.

Not only do roads pose a risk to adult turtles but they have effects that could also be detrimental to turtle young. Turtles seem to be attracted to roads for their properties as nesting grounds. Near roads, nest predation is significantly lower; however, the soil near a road has a different temperature than a turtle's natural habitat and can affect the gender of turtles before they hatch; roads and roadside soil may also affect nesting success rates.

Recently, Dr. Langen has been experimenting with fences and barriers designed to mitigate the effects of roads on turtles. Initially, wire fences were erected to hinder turtle movement towards roads and to guide them towards water-equalizing piping in wetland areas. These barriers were not effective, as Dr. Langen was surprised to discover, because the common snapping turtle could easily climb the fences. Now Dr. Langen is experimenting with solid barriers and other barricades that are both effective at hindering turtle movement across roads and are cost effective.

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