BE48 - Acclimation and Air Temperature Influences on Basking Duration in Eastern Painted Turtles
SCURS Disciplines
Biology
Document Type
General Poster
Invited Presentation Choice
Not Applicable
Abstract
Basking behavior of 56 eastern painted turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) was quantified using EthoVision XT video tracking software to evaluate how acclimation and ambient air temperature influence thermoregulatory behavior. As ectotherms, eastern painted turtles rely on basking to regulate body temperature. Prior research suggests that eastern painted turtles require seven days to acclimate to a new environment. Therefore, we predicted that post-acclimation turtles would bask more frequently and/or for longer durations at cooler air temperatures (25 °C) compared to warmer conditions (30 °C) to maintain body temperature. Conversely, we predicted that pre-acclimation turtles would show no temperature-dependent differences in basking due to stress or exploratory behavior associated with a novel environment. Individual turtles were placed into an environmental chamber containing water, a basking platform, and a heat lamp producing a thermal gradient. Individuals remained in the experimental chamber for up to 14 days. Water temperature was maintained at 20 °C, while air temperature was held at 25 °C or 30 °C. Post-acclimation turtles had a thermoregulatory response to cooler air (25 °C), expressed as longer cumulative duration and more frequent basking events, supporting temperature-dependent behavior after acclimation. At 30 °C, basking in both acclimated and non-acclimated turtles shifted toward fewer but longer bouts without an increase in total basking time. This pattern is consistent with a bout-structure tradeoff and a shift toward shuttling-type thermoregulation.
Keywords
Eastern painted turtles, Ethovision, Behavior, Basking, Thermoregulation
Start Date
10-4-2026 9:30 AM
Location
University Readiness Center Greatroom
End Date
10-4-2026 11:30 AM
BE48 - Acclimation and Air Temperature Influences on Basking Duration in Eastern Painted Turtles
University Readiness Center Greatroom
Basking behavior of 56 eastern painted turtles (Chrysemys picta picta) was quantified using EthoVision XT video tracking software to evaluate how acclimation and ambient air temperature influence thermoregulatory behavior. As ectotherms, eastern painted turtles rely on basking to regulate body temperature. Prior research suggests that eastern painted turtles require seven days to acclimate to a new environment. Therefore, we predicted that post-acclimation turtles would bask more frequently and/or for longer durations at cooler air temperatures (25 °C) compared to warmer conditions (30 °C) to maintain body temperature. Conversely, we predicted that pre-acclimation turtles would show no temperature-dependent differences in basking due to stress or exploratory behavior associated with a novel environment. Individual turtles were placed into an environmental chamber containing water, a basking platform, and a heat lamp producing a thermal gradient. Individuals remained in the experimental chamber for up to 14 days. Water temperature was maintained at 20 °C, while air temperature was held at 25 °C or 30 °C. Post-acclimation turtles had a thermoregulatory response to cooler air (25 °C), expressed as longer cumulative duration and more frequent basking events, supporting temperature-dependent behavior after acclimation. At 30 °C, basking in both acclimated and non-acclimated turtles shifted toward fewer but longer bouts without an increase in total basking time. This pattern is consistent with a bout-structure tradeoff and a shift toward shuttling-type thermoregulation.