Introduced species have made a major contribution to the degradation of aquatic wetlands throughout the world and particularly in Australia. One species, Red-Eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans, classified among the world's top 100 most invasive pest species, has established populations in Australia, most extensively in South-eastern Queensland. A decade ago a small established population was identified in a wetland in Southern Sydney in Yeramba Lagoon. We re-visited this population a decade on to determine its status and the impact on the two resident native freshwater turtle species, Chelodina longicollis Eastern Long Necked Turtle and Emydura macquarii dharuk Sydney Basin Turtle. We captured similar numbers of red-eared sliders as a decade before but increased number of the two native species. There was therefore no indication that the feral species was currently at a competitive advantage over the native species.
Beeton, R. J. S., Buckley, K. I., Jones, G. J, Morgan, D., Reichelt, R. E. and Trewin, D. 2006. Australia State of the Environment 2006. Independent Report to the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra.
,
Australia State of the Environment 2006
Burgin, S. 2006. Confirmation of an established population of exotic turtles in urban Sydney. Australian Zoologist 33: 379-384.
Confirmation of an established population of exotic turtles in urban Sydney
, Australian Zoologist
, vol. 33
(pg. 379
-384
) Burgin, S. 2007. Status report on Trachemys scripta elegans: pet terrapin or Australia's pest turtles? Pp. 1-7 in Pest or Guest: the Zoology of Overabundance. Edited by D. Lunney, P. Hutchings and S. Burgin. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman.
,
Pest or Guest: the Zoology of Overabundance
(pg. 1
-7
) Cadi, A., del Mas, V., Prevot-Julliard, A.-C., Joly, P., Pieau, C. and Girondot, M. 2004. Successful reproduction of the introduced Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) in the South of France. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 14: 237-246.
Successful reproduction of the introduced Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) in the South of France
, Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems
, vol. 14
(pg. 237
-246
) Cadi, A. and Joly, P. 2003. Competition for basking places between the endangered European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis galloitalica) and the introduced Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans). Canadian Journal of Zoology 81: 1392-1398.
Competition for basking places between the endangered European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis galloitalica) and the introduced Slider Turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans)
, Canadian Journal of Zoology
, vol. 81
(pg. 1392
-1398
) Chen, T.H. and Lue, K. Y. 1998. Ecological notes on feral populations of Trachemys scripta elegans in northern Taiwan. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 3: 87-90.
Ecological notes on feral populations of Trachemys scripta elegans in northern Taiwan
, Chelonian Conservation and Biology
, vol. 3
(pg. 87
-90
) Cox, G. W. 2004. Alien Species and Evolution. The Evolutionary Ecology of Exotic Plants, Animals, Microbes, and Interacting Native Species. Island Press, Washington, DC.
,
The Evolutionary Ecology of Exotic Plants, Animals, Microbes, and Interacting Native Species
CSIRO. 2004. Submission to the Federal Senate inquiry on Invasive Species. http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ecita_ctte/invasive_species/index.htm.
DEC. 2006. New South Wales State of the Environment 2006. Department of Environment and Conservation. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2006/index.htm.
Eco Logical Australia. 2003. Yeramba Lagoon Management Options. Eco Logical Australia Pty Ltd, Sydney.
,
Yeramba Lagoon Management Options
Feldman, M. L. 2007. The Red-Eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) in New Zealand. Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter 10: 15-18.
The Red-Eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) in New Zealand
, Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter
, vol. 10
(pg. 15
-18
) Gibbons, J. W. 1990. The Slider Turtle. Pp. 3-18 in Life History and Ecology of the Slider Turtle. Edited by J. W. Gibbons and H. W. Avery. Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington D.C.
,
Life History and Ecology of the Slider Turtle
(pg. 3
-18
) Gilligan, D. M. 2005. Fish communities of the Lower Murray-Darling Catchment: Status and Trends. Fisheries Final Report Series No. 83. New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Cronulla.
,
Fisheries Final Report Series No. 83
Gong, W., Sinden, J., Braysher, M. and Jones, R. 2009. The Economic Impacts of Vertebrate Pests in Australia. Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, Canberra.
,
The Economic Impacts of Vertebrate Pests in Australia
IUCN/SSC. 2004. 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. Global Invasive Species Database. IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). http://www.issg.org/database.
Levell, J. 2000. Review of the turtles of Borneo and Pennisular Malaysia by Lim Bio Liat and Indraneil Das (1999). Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter 4: 25.
Review of the turtles of Borneo and Pennisular Malaysia by Lim Bio Liat and Indraneil Das (1999)
, Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter
, vol. 4
pg. 25
McCoid, M. J. 1993. The ‘new’ herpetofauna of Guam, Mariana Islands. Herpetological Review 24: 16-17.
The ‘new’ herpetofauna of Guam, Mariana Islands
, Herpetological Review
, vol. 24
(pg. 16
-17
) Mooney, H. A. and Cleland, E. E. 2001. The evolutionary impact of invasive species. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 98: 5446-5451.
The evolutionary impact of invasive species
, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
, vol. 98
(pg. 5446
-5451
) Morreale, S. T., Gibbons, J. W. and Congdon, J. D. 1984. Significance of activity and movement in the Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtle (Pseudemys scripta). Canadian Journal of Zoology 62: 1038-1042.
Significance of activity and movement in the Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtle (Pseudemys scripta)
, Canadian Journal of Zoology
, vol. 62
(pg. 1038
-1042
) Ng, P., Chou, L. and Lam, T. 1993. The status and impact of introduced freshwater animals in Singapore. Biological Conservation 64: 19-24.
The status and impact of introduced freshwater animals in Singapore
, Biological Conservation
, vol. 64
(pg. 19
-24
) NPWS. 1994. Georges River National Park Plan of Management. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney.
,
Georges River National Park Plan of Management
O'Keeffe, S. 2005. Investing in conjecture: eradicating the Red-Eared Slider in Queensland. Pp. 169-176 in Proceedings of 13th Australasian Vertebrate Pest Conference, Te Papa Wellington, New Zealand, 2-6 May 2005 (unedited). Manaaki Whenua -Landcare Research, Lincoln. www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/conferences;
Painter, C. W. and Christman, B. L. 2000. Geographic distribution. Trachemys scripta. Herpetological Review 31: 253.
Geographic distribution
, Herpetological Review
, vol. 31
pg. 253
Ramsay, N. F., Ng, P. K. A., O'Riordan, R. M. and Chou, L. M. 2007. The Red-Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) in Asia: a review. Pp.161-174 in Biological Invaders in Inland Waters: Profiles, Distribution, and Threats. Edited by F. Gherardi. Springer, The Netherlands.
,
Biological Invaders in Inland Waters: Profiles, Distribution, and Threats
(pg. 161
-174
) Robey, J. K. 2008. Aspects of the dynamics of a freshwater turtle population. BSc(Hons), University of Western Sydney, South Penrith.
,
Aspects of the dynamics of a freshwater turtle population
Rose, F. L. and Manning, R. W. 1996. Notes on the biology of the Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans (Reptilia: Emydidae), inhabiting man-made cattle ponds in west Texas. Texas Journal of Science 48: 191-206.
Notes on the biology of the Slider, Trachemys scripta elegans (Reptilia: Emydidae), inhabiting man-made cattle ponds in west Texas
, Texas Journal of Science
, vol. 48
(pg. 191
-206
) Salzberg, A. 2000. Salmonella and reptiles: the Norway rat of the turtle world. Reptile and Amphibian Hobbyist 5: 84.
Salmonella and reptiles: the Norway rat of the turtle world
, Reptile and Amphibian Hobbyist
, vol. 5
pg. 84
Thomas, R. B., Vogrin, N. and Altig, R. 1999. Sexual and seasonal differences in behaviour of Trachemys scripta (Testudines: Emydidae). Journal of Herpetology 33: 511-515.
Sexual and seasonal differences in behaviour of Trachemys scripta (Testudines: Emydidae)
, Journal of Herpetology
, vol. 33
(pg. 511
-515
) Thompson, M. B. 1983. Murray River tortoise (Emydura, Chelodina) populations: the effect of egg predation by the red fox, Vulpes vulpes. Australian Wildlife Research 10: 363-371.
Murray River tortoise (Emydura, Chelodina) populations: the effect of egg predation by the red fox, Vulpes vulpes
, Australian Wildlife Research
, vol. 10
(pg. 363
-371
)
This content is only available as a PDF.
