Ecology and Vulnerability

Bog Turtle

Despite being an active group for research focus in the Northeast, little is known about
how RSGCN freshwater turtle species will respond to climate change, as there are only a handful
of studies that have explored the subject, and only half of the species have any research at all
(Figure 2.11). Further, most data on the most studied species, the Blanding’s Turtle, is outside of
the Northeast region (Hamilton et al., 2018; Bryer et al., 2020). Given the importance of water
features to the biology of these turtles, such as lakes and vernal pools, research and monitoring of
assocaited aquatic habitats and studies of changing phenology, range shifts, and climate refugia
may be especially important going forward to identify potential adaptation strategies for these
species.