Unique Presentation Identifier:
58
Program Type
Graduate
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Douglas G. Barron
Document Type
Presentation
Location
Face-to-face
Start Date
9-4-2026 10:20 AM
End Date
9-4-2026 10:50 AM
Abstract
The Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria; WCT) is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in all six states where it occurs and is assumed to be rare and declining across its range. WCT are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss because their preferred shallow, wetland habitats are often subject to agricultural conversion and urban expansion. The conservation of this species is further hindered by its cryptic nature and prolonged aestivation, which make WCT notoriously difficult to locate and capture. Environmental DNA (eDNA), which is the genetic material that organisms naturally shed into their environment, can be detected by researchers, offering a promising solution to this problem. To assess the distribution and occupancy patterns of WCT in the Mississippi Delta ecoregion of Arkansas, we collected and analyzed 400 eDNA samples from water at 60 suspected sites spread across 14 counties. Of these suspected sites, only one site yielded positive WCT eDNA detections. This suggests that there are very few WCT populations in the Delta. The positive site is located about 4.5 km from a known, robust WCT population in Lonoke County, and it is possible that the new site is part of a larger metapopulation. In the next phase of this study, we will conduct additional eDNA sampling along with intensive trapping surveys to confirm WCT presence, gather demographic data, and estimate population abundance. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the state of Arkansas to combine eDNA with traditional sampling to locate and characterize WCT populations. By identifying new populations of WCT and generating baseline population data, our study will help enhance the monitoring and conservation of this at-risk species.
Recommended Citation
Scarangella, Kai D., "Using Environmental DNA to Locate Western Chicken Turtles in the Mississippi Delta of Arkansas" (2026). ATU Scholars Symposium. 25.
https://orc.library.atu.edu/atu_rs/2026/2026/25
Included in
Using Environmental DNA to Locate Western Chicken Turtles in the Mississippi Delta of Arkansas
Face-to-face
The Western Chicken Turtle (Deirochelys reticularia miaria; WCT) is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in all six states where it occurs and is assumed to be rare and declining across its range. WCT are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss because their preferred shallow, wetland habitats are often subject to agricultural conversion and urban expansion. The conservation of this species is further hindered by its cryptic nature and prolonged aestivation, which make WCT notoriously difficult to locate and capture. Environmental DNA (eDNA), which is the genetic material that organisms naturally shed into their environment, can be detected by researchers, offering a promising solution to this problem. To assess the distribution and occupancy patterns of WCT in the Mississippi Delta ecoregion of Arkansas, we collected and analyzed 400 eDNA samples from water at 60 suspected sites spread across 14 counties. Of these suspected sites, only one site yielded positive WCT eDNA detections. This suggests that there are very few WCT populations in the Delta. The positive site is located about 4.5 km from a known, robust WCT population in Lonoke County, and it is possible that the new site is part of a larger metapopulation. In the next phase of this study, we will conduct additional eDNA sampling along with intensive trapping surveys to confirm WCT presence, gather demographic data, and estimate population abundance. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the state of Arkansas to combine eDNA with traditional sampling to locate and characterize WCT populations. By identifying new populations of WCT and generating baseline population data, our study will help enhance the monitoring and conservation of this at-risk species.