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Effects of a severe winter on invasive green iguanas (Iguana iguana)

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Date Issued:
2011
Summary:
The green iguana (Iguana iguana) is an herbivorous lizard native to South America and is invasive in south Florida. The severe weather in January 2010 negatively impacted many species and significantly reduced the green iguana population, specifically adult females and juveniles of both sexes. Fifteen adult iguanas from two locations in Palm Beach County were tagged and had blood drawn for blood chemistry and HPLC steroid hormone analysis. Individuals were tracked for home range/territory analysis and behavioral observations. Blood chemistry values of cold-stunned individuals showed abnormal values similar to those reported in cold-stunned sea turtles. Territoriality and breeding behaviors, including nesting and head-bob displays, decreased or ceased during the following months. Steroid hormone concentrations were detected by HPLC and were not consistent with results from RIA studies in the literature.
Title: Effects of a severe winter on invasive green iguanas (Iguana iguana).
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Name(s): Campbell, Ashley B.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Issued: 2011
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Physical Form: electronic
Extent: viii, 43 p. : ill. (some col.)
Language(s): English
Summary: The green iguana (Iguana iguana) is an herbivorous lizard native to South America and is invasive in south Florida. The severe weather in January 2010 negatively impacted many species and significantly reduced the green iguana population, specifically adult females and juveniles of both sexes. Fifteen adult iguanas from two locations in Palm Beach County were tagged and had blood drawn for blood chemistry and HPLC steroid hormone analysis. Individuals were tracked for home range/territory analysis and behavioral observations. Blood chemistry values of cold-stunned individuals showed abnormal values similar to those reported in cold-stunned sea turtles. Territoriality and breeding behaviors, including nesting and head-bob displays, decreased or ceased during the following months. Steroid hormone concentrations were detected by HPLC and were not consistent with results from RIA studies in the literature.
Identifier: 748683004 (oclc), 3174507 (digitool), FADT3174507 (IID), fau:3690 (fedora)
Note(s): by Ashley Campbell.
Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011.
Includes bibliography.
Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.
Subject(s): Weather -- Environmental aspects -- Florida
Adaptation (Biology)
Climate changes -- Environmental aspects -- Florida
Conservation biology
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3174507
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU