Contribution to the knowledge of spatial movements of adult Hermann’s tortoises

Authors

  • Dragana Stojadinović University of Niš, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology and Ecology, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš
  • Tijana Čubrić University of Niš, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology and Ecology, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš
  • Đurađ Milošević University of Niš, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology and Ecology, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš
  • Bogdan Jovanović University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade
  • Jelena Ćorović University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade
  • Momir Paunović University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6432-1191
  • Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailović 1. University of Niš, Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, Department of Biology and Ecology, Višegradska 33, 18000 Niš; 2. University of Belgrade, Institute for Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bulevar despota Stefana 142, 11060 Belgrade

Keywords:

adult tortoises, habitat system, movement range, spatial movements, Testudo hermanni boettgeri

Abstract

We recorded the movements of adult Eastern Hermann’s tortoises (Testudo hermanni boettgeri) in a local population situated in a complex forested habitat system. The average total movement range size (TMRS) calculated over three consecutive years was 4.56 ha and 7.53 ha for males and females, respectively. The largest estimated TMRS of male and female tortoises was 27 ha and 90 ha, respectively. Six females and three males (or 9% and 4%, respectively, of the overall sample) had a movement range size (MRS) greater than 10 ha. Significant differences between male and female MRS were not detected. Body size had no influence on the MRS of individuals in the sample, except on the core movement range size (CMRS) in males. Although the collected data did not enable calculation of the home range in the studied population, the results indicate that the calculated average TMRS of local Hermann tortoises is larger than the average home range in some other populations. Therefore, in the absence of information on the home range size of local adult tortoises, the MRS could be a suitable alternative for planning local species reserves.

https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS170217013S

Received: February 17, 2017; Revised: April 2, 2017; Accepted: April 19, 2017; Published online: April 28, 2017

How to cite this article: Stojadinović DM, Čubrić T, Milošević ĐD, Jovanović BLj, Ćorović JV, Paunović M, Crnobrnja-Isailović JM. Contribution to the knowledge of spatial movements of adult Hermann’s tortoises. Arch Biol Sci. 2017;69(4):671-7.

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Published

2017-10-18

How to Cite

1.
Stojadinović D, Čubrić T, Milošević Đurađ, Jovanović B, Ćorović J, Paunović M, Crnobrnja-Isailović J. Contribution to the knowledge of spatial movements of adult Hermann’s tortoises. Arch Biol Sci [Internet]. 2017Oct.18 [cited 2024Apr.20];69(4):671-7. Available from: https://www.serbiosoc.org.rs/arch/index.php/abs/article/view/1482

Issue

Vol. 69 No. 4 (2017)

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Articles

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Authors grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.

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