TOLEDO, Ohio — Researchers at the University of Toledo recently published new research in Ecology and Evolution, analyzing field data on two turtle species in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.
Through the analysis, researchers noted a concerning rate of inbreeding among eastern box turtles when compared to spotted turtles.
“We were expecting to see inbreeding effects in our spotted turtle populations because of a few factors that you would think would predispose them to it. They generally have smaller and more isolated populations compared to box turtles, and individuals tend to stick closer to home,” said Jeanine Refsnider, an associate professor at the University of Toledo’s Department of Environmental Sciences. “Instead, we found no evidence of inbreeding in spotted turtles and concerningly high levels of inbreeding in all three of our box turtle populations.”…