Pollinator Community Composition and Diversity in Callery Pear Stands in South Carolina

Alexis Hamous-Miller¹ and Vincent A Cobb^1,*

¹Department of Biology, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN 37132. *Corresponding author.

Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 24, Issue 2 (2025): 124–136

First published early online: 24 May 2025

Abstract
Viviparous snakes of several species select and maintain a generally higher and less variable body temperature (T_b) during pregnancy. The leading hypothesis for this behavior is that warmer temperatures and shorter gestation times facilitate embryonic development. To test this hypothesis, we implanted reproductive and non-reproductive female Nerodia sipedon (Common Watersnake) with radio transmitters and temperature loggers to continuously record their T_b. We recorded 7440 hourly measurements of T_b from 7 reproductive and 5 non-reproductive snakes. The T_b of snakes did not differ by reproductive condition. Reproductive and non-reproductive females had similar daily movements, generally moving less than 50 m between telemetric locations. Reproductive snakes predominately used rocks out of water and forbs along the riverbank, while non-reproductive females chose rocks within the river or adjacent to the water. We propose that Common Watersnakes may possess thermal plasticity in T_b selection influenced by geographic location, which suggests that gravid individuals in warmer climates might not require precise thermoregulation to maintain a suitable T_b.

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