COMPLETED PROJECT
Reptiles at Risk
Land-use change poses a significant threat to reptile overwintering sites.
During winter, at-risk snake and turtle species use peatlands as habitat to provide thermal refuge from the cold.
Human alterations can disrupt the unique environmental conditions found in peatlands, which are necessary for these sensitive species to survive.
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Canada's boreal landscape is bisected by 217,000 km of roads.
Road construction can sever peatlands, disrupting the flow of water by causing flooding upstream and drying downstream of the road.
In the Georgian Bay Biosphere, peatlands provide critical overwinter sites for at-risk reptiles such as the Blanding's turtle and Massasauga rattlesnake. They can only survive in a narrow range of moisture and temperature conditions.
By modifying peatland hydrology, road construction may eliminate suitable habitat for these species in peatlands and raise winter mortality.
GEORGIAN BAY BIOSPHERE
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ONTARIO
We studied how road construction impacts at-risk reptile habitat.
How do roads modify overwintering sites for at-risk reptile species?
Can we reduce the impacts of road construction by modifying the orientation of the road or its proximity to a peatland?
How resilient is peatland hydrology to road construction?
FINDINGS
At-Risk Species Habitat
Road construction is likely to reduce the quantity and quality of overwintering habitat for turtle and snake species. More frequent flooding may cause snakes to drown while overwintering, whereas upstream drying removes sites for turtles which require open water.
Peatland Hydrology
Roads constructed across peatlands cause upstream drying and downstream flooding. Impacts on peat properties result in a higher likelihood of flooding during rainfall. Road-impacted peatlands have fundamentally different conditions than undisturbed sites.
Management Implications
Our research suggests that by orienting roads parallel to the direction of water flow, and by situating roads at the periphery of peatlands, changes in peatland conditions can be limited. This is critical to maintain suitable overwintering habitat on the landscape.