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Freeze Tolerance in Overwintering Slider (Trachemys scripta) Hatchlings
   
Freeze Avoidance and Freeze Tolerance: An Overview An investigation into the freeze tolerance capacity of hatchling sliders (Trachemys scripta) revealed that hatchlings subjected to inoculative freezing due to contact with ice in soil exhibited relationships between survival and measurements of nest depth and temperature (Tucker and Packard, 1998). Nests with higher mean temperatures at top and bottom of nests corresponded with greater survival (Tucker and Packard, 1998). Lower mean nest temperatures in conjunction with the presence of ice in nest soil and the susceptibility of hatchling sliders to inoculative freezing contribute to mortality of hatchling sliders overwintering in natal nests (Tucker and Packard, 1998).
Supercooling  
   
Freeze Avoidance in Overwintering Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina) Hatchlings

 

Photo by Christian Oldham
Freeze Avoidance in Overwintering Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii)  
   
Variation in Freeze Tolerance Between Species  
   
Freeze Tolerance in Overwintering Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) Hatchlings  
   
Literature Cited  
   
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