PM11 Wildlife Ecotoxicology
Exhibit Hall
8:00 AM - Monday
(PM189) Evaluation of the Snapping Turtle as a Biomonitor for the Saluda-Reedy Watershed.
Elzerman, A1, Bowerman, W1, van den Hurk, P1, 1 Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
ABSTRACT- Due to their use as biomonitors of water quality in other watersheds in North America, snapping turtles (Chelydridae serpentina) are being evaluated for long-term use in the Saluda-Reedy watershed. The Saluda-Reedy watershed is located in upstate South Carolina and includes Greenville, one of the fastest growing urban areas in the United States. Collaborative efforts are currently being undertaken to assess water quality and anticipate the impact of urban growth. Sample sites were chosen in areas with confirmed habitat suitability. Snapping turtle adults were collected from five different reservoirs and analyzed for organochlorine pesticides, PCBs and mercury. The five reservoirs were chosen to compare varying degrees of human influence, including two drinking water reservoirs with protected watersheds and no homes, one located in a rural subdivision without industrial influence, and two downstream of industrial sites. Biomarker evaluations were carried out concurrently with tissue contaminant analysis to establish local correlations with results from non-lethal assessment methods. Results indicate the snapping turtle to be a suitable long-term biomonitor of selected water quality characteristics within the Saluda-Reedy watershed.
Key words: reptile, snapping turtle, Chelydridae serpentina, biomonitor