SMITH: GOPHERUSPOLYPHEMUS ON THE ORDWAY PRESERVE


 I found no evidence that any of the females deposited more than one clutch
annually. Three of the 18 females X-rayed were gravid for two consecutive years.
In some gopher tortoise colonies, no nesting is thought to occur for many years
(Auffenberg and Iverson 1979).
 There was a positive correlation between female carapace length and clutch
size (Fig. 12). Although the fit to the data was significant (t = 1.73, df = 22, p <
0.05, r = 0.346), CL explained only 12% of the variance in clutch size. A 32 mm
increase in carapace length would result in a one egg increase in clutch size.
 A negative correlation was found between estimated CL and clutch size for
nests found at burrow aprons (Fig. 13). The fit to the data is significant (t = -2.249,
df= 25, p < 0.01, r = -0.41). The negative correlation coefficient suggests that eggs
oviposited at burrow aprons probably were laid by non-resident females.
 Incubation and hatching success.- Deposition dates were determined for
five nests during the three year period. Nesting dates were 13, 18, and 29 June
1990; and 1 and 3 June 1991. Reported field nesting dates for north Florida
tortoises range from 18 May through 18 June (Iverson 1980; Diemer and Moore
(1994). The incubation period for the five nests where deposition dates were known



Table 6. Depth and distance from burrow entrance of gopher tortoise nests on the Ordway Preserve, Putnam
County, Florida. Measurements are in cm.

 Nest Distance
 From Burrow Nest Depth

 Year N Mean Range SD Mean Range SD

 1989 2 25.4 25.4-25.4 0.0 15.7 8.9-22.5 6.8
 1990 16 23.7 0.0-100.0 22.5 13.3 0.5-27.5 6.5
 1991 16 12.4 -5.0-40.0 13.0 14.2 4.0-25.7 5.5

 All
 Years 34 18.3 -5.0-100.0 19.0 13.8 0.5-27.0 6.1



averaged 87.4 days (range = 67-102), which is comparable to literature records of
80 90 days (Iverson 1980). The earliest recorded hatching date was 24 August,
whereas the latest was 2 October. Hatching peaked during the last week of August
and first week of September. A clutch completed hatching in 1 to 4 days. None of
the hatchlings stayed in the nest chamber for more than one week.
 Of the eggs at protected nests, 67% hatched successfully in 1990 (n = 75)
compared to 97% in 1991 (n = 92). The difference between years was not
significant (x2 = 2.767, df= 1, p > 0.05). In 1990, five of 16 nests failed to produce