Sun-Compass Orientation During Natal Dispersal in Hatchling Blanding's Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii)

TL;DRAbstract

Blanding's turtle hatchlings emerge from their natal nests naïve to environmental stimuli and primarily sense visual cues on the horizon as a dispersal target. During a period of hours or days, hatchlings develop a compass mechanism that allows them to maintain a direction of travel, even when the target is not visible. We examined the dispersal directions of Blanding's turtle hatchlings captured during dispersal by translocating them into a circular arena in a field of corn in order to measure their dispersal direction guided by a compass mechanism. To test for use of a sun compass, a magnetic compass, or both, we observed dispersal direction of hatchlings released at the center of the arena. Hatchlings were released in an initial trial, treated with normal (no-shift) or 6-hr clock-shifted photoperiods for 4 to 10 days, and released into the arena for a second trial with magnets (or non-magnetic controls) adhered to their carapaces. We predicted that clock-shifting would reduce disper

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