Jacqueline Litzgus

Recherches 

J'ai eu le grand privilège de faire évoluer en carrière ma fascination d'enfance pour attraper des serpents, des tortues et des crapauds dans les forêts et les ruisseaux près de chez moi. En tant que professeure, j'ai l'occasion de partager ma passion pour ces animaux et leur conservation avec les étudiants, en classe et sur le terrain.

Mon programme de recherche combine des approches sur le terrain et en laboratoire, ainsi que des sciences fondamentales et appliquées. Les projets de mon laboratoire portent sur des questions relatives à l'écologie des populations et à la biologie de la conservation des reptiles, ainsi que sur l'application des données écologiques aux tests des mesures d'atténuation et de rétablissement. Mes travaux portent sur l'évolution de la taille des populations dans le temps, la démographie et les taux vitaux, l'investissement maternel, l'écologie routière, l'écologie spatiale et la sélection d'habitats. La recherche physiologique porte sur les conséquences bioénergétiques, thermorégulatrices et sur la condition physique de certains comportements, en particulier la dormance estivale et hivernale, chez les reptiles.

 

Publications 

Depuis 2015 (* auteur étudiant):

Boyle, S.B.*, M.K.C. Balsdon*, L. Newediuk, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarrères. 2025. Anuran carcass persistence on roads: causes, and implications for conservation. Journal of Wildlife Management e22731 (DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22731).

Choquette, J.D.*, T.E. Pitcher, A. Yagi, C. Fournier, R. Vose, and J.D. Litzgus. 2025. Reproductive traits of zoo-bred and wild-bred Eastern Massasaugas (Sistrurus catenatus) at Species Survival Plan® conservation breeding centres and other facilities. Zoo Biology (accepted 2 July 2025; ms# ZOO-24-131.R1).

Grilo et al. 2025. Global roadkill data: A data set on terrestrial vertebrate mortality caused by collision with vehicles. Scientific Data Scientific Data 12: 505 (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-024-04207-x).

Vincent, K.*, J. Litzgus, S. Kell, C. Kozmik, A. Belleau, and J. Popp. 2025. Community-informed and co-designed research to understand the impacts of railways on wildlife. Conservation Biology (in press; ms# 24-075.R3).

Wijewardena, T.*, C. Drader, D.M.L. Gasbarrini, J. Litzgus, K. Kerr, and N. Mandrak. 2025. Mass mortality in a community of headstarted (Emydoidea blandingii) and naturally-occurring (Chrysemys picta marginata) freshwater turtles in protected urban wetlands. Ichthyology & Herpetology 113(1): 75-83 (doi.org/10.1643/h2024045).

Wijewardena, T.*, N. Mandrak, A. Lentini, and J. Litzgus. 2025. Demographic assessment of a freshwater turtle assemblage in an urban protected area in the context of ongoing threats and a mass-mortality event. Chelonian Conservation and Biology24(1): https://doi.org/10.2744/CCB-1641.1.

Choquette, J.*; A.I. Mokdad, T. Pitcher, and J.D. Litzgus. 2024. Selection and validation of release sites for conservation translocations of temperate-zone snakes. Global Ecology and Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02765).

Choquette, J.*; T. Pitcher, and J. Litzgus. 2024. Occupancy and detection of Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus): Implications for evaluating population recovery efforts. Herpetologica 80(3): 262-274.

Delay, S.J.*, S.B. Woods, and J.D. Litzgus. 2024. Spatial ecology of an urban population of Blanding’s Turtles in Central Ontario, Canada. Northeastern Naturalist (special issue) 31(12): E85-E102.

Mills, P.B., L.H. Friesen, and J.D. Litzgus. 2024. Under-ice behavior of Spotted Turtles (Clemmys guttata) late in the overwintering period. Northeastern Naturalist (special issue) 31(12): C27-C31.

Choquette, J.*, J. Litzgus, J. Gui, and T. Pitcher. 2023. A systematic review of snake translocations to identify potential tactics for reducing post-release effects. Conservation Biology 37(1): e14016 (https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.14016).

Delay, S.J.*, O. Urquhart, and J.D. Litzgus. 2023. Windfarm and wildfire: Spatial ecology of an endangered freshwater turtle in a recovering landscape. Canadian Journal of Zoology https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2023-0100. 

Mullin, D.I.*, R.C. White, J.L. Mullen, A.M. Lentini, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2023. Headstarting turtles to larger body sizes for multiple years increases survivorship but with diminishing returns. Journal of Wildlife Management 87(4): e22390 (https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22390). 

Wijewardena, T.*, N.E. Mandrak, J.E. Paterson, C.M. Davy, C.B. Edge, A.M. Lentini, and J.D. Litzgus. 2023. Effects of release method on the survival, somatic growth, and body condition of headstarted turtles. Journal of Wildlife Management e22505 (https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.22505).

Delay, S.J.*and J.D. Litzgus. 2022. Clemmys guttata (Spotted Turtle). Nest predation. Herpetological Review 53(3): 484-485.

Keevil, M.G.*, N. Noble*, S. Boyle*, D. Lesbarreres, and J. Litzgus. 2022. Lost reproductive value reveals a high burden of juvenile road mortality in a long-lived species. Ecological Applications 33(3): e2789 (https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2789).

Kell, S.J.*, N. Rollinson, R.J. Brooks and J.D. Litzgus. 2022. Nesting in close quarters: Causes and benefits of high-density nesting behaviour in Painted Turtles. Canadian Journal of Zoology 100: 208-218 (https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/cjz-2021-0159).

Lievesley, J.A.*, E.G. Nancekivell, R.J. Brooks, J.D. Litzgus and N. Rollinson. 2022. Long-term resilience of primary sex ratios in a species with temperature-dependent sex determination after decades of climate warming. American Naturalist 200(4): 532-543 (https://doi.org/10.1086/720621). 

Trowbridge, C.M.* and J.D. Litzgus. 2022. Windfarms alter amphibian community diversity and chorusing behavior. Herpetologica 78(2): 75-85 (https://doi.org/10.1655/Herpetologica-D-21-00032).

Vincent, K.D.*, J. Popp, S.J. Kell, A. Belleau, and J.D. Litzgus. 2022. Chrysemys picta marginata (Midland Painted Turtle) Novel railway mortality. Herpetological Review 53(2): 308-309.

Wijewardena, T.*, M.G. Keevil*, N.E. Mandrak, A. Lentini, and J.D. Litzgus. 2022. Evaluation of headstarting as a conservation tool to recover Blanding's Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) in a highly fragmented urban landscape. PLoS One 18(3): e0279833 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279833).

Boyle, S.*, M.G. Keevil*, J.D. Litzgus, D. Tyerman, and D. Lesbarreres. 2021. Road-effect mitigation promotes connectivity and reduces mortality at the population level. Biological Conservation 261: 109230.

Davy, C., L. Shirose, D. Campbell, R. Dillon*, C. Mackenzie, N. Nemeth, T. Braithwaite, H. Cai, T. Degazio, T. Dobbie, S. Egan, H. Fotherby, J. Litzgus, P. Manorome, S. Marks, J. Paterson*, L. Sigler, D. Slavic, E. Slavik, J. Urquhart, and C. Jardine. 2021. Revisiting ophidiomycosis (snake fungal disease) after a decade of targeted research. Frontiers in Veterinary Science (doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.665805).

Gasbarrini, D.M.L.*, D. Lesbarreres, A. Sheppard, and J.D. Litzgus. 2021. An enigmatic mass mortality event of Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii) in a protected area. Canadian Journal of Zoology 99(6): 470-479 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0204).

Keevil, M.G.*, D.P. Armstrong, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2021. A model of seasonal variation in somatic growth rates applied to two temperate turtle species. Ecological Modelling 443: 109454 (doi: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109454). 

Macpherson, M.R.*, J.D. Litzgus, P.J. Weatherhead, and S.C Lougheed. 2021. Barriers for big snakes: Incorporating animal behaviour and morphology into road mortality mitigation design. Global Ecology and Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01471). ​

Boyle, S.P.*, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarreres. 2020. Limited evidence for negative effects of highway widneing on North American large mammals. European Journal of Wildlife Research 66(90) (doi: 10.1007/s10344-020-01428-4).

Connoy, J.W.H.*, J.A. Leivesley*, R.J. Brooks, J.D. Litzgus, and N. Rollinson. 2020. Body size of ectotherms constrains thermal requirements for reproductive activity in seasonal environments. Canadian Journal of Zoology 98(10): 651-659 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0254).

Dillon, R.M.*, S.P. Boyle*, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarreres. 2020. Built it and some will use it: A test of road ecopassages for Eastern Gartersnakes. Journal of Herpetology 54(1): 19-23 (doi: 10.1670/18-163).

Moldowan, P.D.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2020. Sex, shells, and weaponry: Coercive reproductive tactics in the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 74: 142 (doi: 10.1007/s00265-020-02926-w). 

Moldowan, P.D.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2020. Demographics of injuries indicate sexual coercion in a population of Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta). Canadian Journal of Zoology 98(4): 269-278 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0238).

Mullin, D.I.*, R.C. White, A.M. Lentini, R.J. Brooks, K.R. Beriault, and J.D. Litzgus. 2020. Predation and disease limit population recovery following 15 years of headstarting an endangered freshwater turtle. Biological Conservation 245: 108496 (doi: 10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108496).

Boyle, S.P.*, R. Dillon*, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarreres. 2019. Desiccation of herpetofauna on roadway exclusion fencing. Canadian Field-Naturalist 133(1): 43-48 (doi: 10.22621/cfn.v133i1.2076).

​Hawkshaw, D.M.*, P.D. Moldowan*, J.D. Litzgus, R.J. Brooks, and N. Rollinson. 2019. Discovery and description of a novel sexual weapon in the world's most widely-studied freshwater turtle. Evolutionary Ecology 33(6): 889-900 (doi: 10.1007/s10682-019-10014-3).

Heaven, P.C., J.D. Litzgus, and M.T. Tinker. 2019. A unique barrier wall and underpass to reduce road mortality of three freshwater turtle species. Copeia 107(1): 92-99.

Hughes, G.N.* and J.D. Litzgus. 2019. Impact of natural resource extraction on thermal properties of wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) habitat. Journal of Thermal Biology 84: 469-478 (doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.07.031). 

Hughes, G.H.*, M.Q. Kennedy*, and J.D. Litzgus. 2019. Preliminary assessment of the success of rehabilitation in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) through post-release measures of spatial behavior and body condition. Herpetological Review 50(1): 58-62. 

Paterson, J.E., J. Baxter-Gilbert, F. Beaudry, S. Carstairs, P. Chow-Fraser, C.B. Edge, A.M. Lentini, J.D. Litzgus, C.E. Markle, K. McKeown, J.A. Moore, J.M. Refsnider, J.L. Riley, J.D. Rouse, D.C. Seburn, J.R. Zimmerling, and C.M. Davy. 2019. Road avoidance and its energetic consequences for reptiles. Ecology and Evolution 9(17): 9794-9803 (doi: 10.1002/ece3.5515).

Valenzuela, N., R. Literman, J. Neuwald, B. Mizoguchi, J. Iverson, J.L. Riley, and J. Litzgus. 2019. Extreme thermal fluctuations from climate change to unexpectedly accelerate demographic collapse of vertebrates with temperature-dependent sex determination. Scientific Reports 9: 4254 (doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-40597-4). 

Zagorski, G.Z.*, D.J. Boreham, J.D. Litzgus. 2019. Endangered species protection and evidence-based decision-making: Case study of a quarry proposal in endangered turtle habitat. Global Ecology and Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00751).

Zagorski, G.*, D. Boreham, and J.D. Litzgus. 2019. Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding’s Turtle). Feeding. Herpetological Review 50(1): 121.

Janzen, F.J. L. Hoekstra, R.J. Brooks, D. Carroll, J.W. Gibbons, J. Greene, J. Iverson, J.D. Litzgus, E. Michael, S. Parren, W. Roosenburg, G. Strain, J. Tucker, and G. Ultsch. 2018. Altered spring phenology of North American freshwater turtles and the importance of representative populations. Ecology and Evolution 8: 5815-5827 (doi: 10.1002/ece3.4120).

Keevil, M.G.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2018. Post-catastrophe patterns of abundance and survival reveal no evidence of population recovery in a long-lived animal. Ecosphere (doi: 10.1002/ecs2.2396).

Marchand, K.A.*, G.N. Hughes*, and J.D. Litzgus. 2018. Geographic variation in somatic growth rate of Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta). Copeia 106(3): 477-484.

Moldowan, P.D.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2018. Sex-biased seasonal capture rates in the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta). Canadian Field-Naturalist 132(1): 20-24.

Mullin, D.I.*, R.C. White, J.L. Mullen, J.K. Walton*, and J.D. Litzgus. 2018. Glyptemys insculpta (Wood Turtle). Predation. Herpetological Review 49(1): 106-107.

Zagorski, G.*, D. Boreham, and J. Litzgus. 2018. Emydoidea blandingii (Blanding’s Turtle). Aggression. Herpetological Review 49(1): 106.

Baxter-Gilbert, J.H.*, J.L. Riley*, S.P. Boyle, D. Lesbarreres, and J.D. Litzgus. 2017. Turning the threat into a solution: Using roadways to survey cryptic species and to identify locations for conservation. Australian Journal of Zoology (doi: 10.1071/ZO17047).

Boyle, S.*, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarreres. 2017. Road surveys vs. circuit theory to predict hotspot locations: benefits and challenges for implementing road-effect mitigation. Biodiversity and Conservation 26(14): 3445-3463 (doi: 10.1007/s10531-017-1414-9).

Colley, M.*, S. Lougheed, K. Otterbein, and J.D. Litzgus. 2017. Mitigation reduces road mortality of a threatened rattlesnake. Wildlife Research 44(1): 48-59 (doi: 10.1071/WR16130).

Edge, C., N. Rollinson, R. Brooks, J. Congdon, J. Iverson, F. Janzen, and J. Litzgus. 2017. Phenotypic plasticity of nest timing in a post-glacial landscape: How do reptiles adapt to seasonal time constraints? Ecology 98(2): 512-524.

Keevil, M.G.*, B.S. Hewitt*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2017. Patterns of intraspecific aggression inferred from injuries in an aquatic turtle with male-biased size dimorphism. Canadian Journal of Zoology 95: 393-403 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2016-0182.

Moldowan, P.D.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2017. Assessing cranial dimorphism in the midland painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) using a photographic questionnaire. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 16(1): 76-82 (doi: 10.2744/CCB-1235.1). 

Riley, J.L.*, J.H. Baxter-Gilbert*, and J.D. Litzgus. 2017. A comparison of three external transmitter attachment methods for snakes. Wildlife Society Bulletin 4(1): 132-139 (doi: 10.1002/wsb.748). 

Colley, M.*, S. Lougheed, K. Otterbein, and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Northern Watersnake). Reproduction / Arboreal mating. Herpetological Review 47(1): 149-150.

Hughes, G.H.*, L. Monck-Whipp, and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. Glyptemys insculpta (Wood Turtle). Potential anting behavior. Herpetological Review 47(3): 445-446.

Laverty, J.F.*, B. Korol, and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. Measuring the effects of water-based recreation on the spatial ecology of Eastern Musk Turtles (Sternotherus odoratus) in a Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada. Copeia 104(2): 440-447 (doi: 10.1643/CE-15-284). ​

Moldowan, P.D.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. Quantification of cranial and tomiodont dimorphism in Testudines using the Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata). Zoomorphology (doi: 10.1007/s00435-016-0320-0).

Moldowan, P.D.*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. Turtles with “teeth”: Beak morphology of Testudines with a focus on the tomiodonts of Painted Turtles (Chrysemys spp.). Zoomorphology 135: 121-135 (doi: 10.1007/s00435-015-0288-1).

Mui, A.B.*, C.B. Edge*, J.E. Paterson*, B. Caverhill, B. Johnson, J.D. Litzgus, and Y. He. 2016. Nesting sites in agricultural landscapes are a potential sink for turtle populations. Canadian Journal of Zoology 94: 61-67 (doi: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0154).

Riley, J.L.*, J.H. Baxter-Gilbert*, C. Guglielmo, and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. A novel approach for measuring body condition of snakes using quantitative magnetic resonance. Journal of Herpetology 50(4): 627-632 (doi: 10.1670/15-113).

Sasaki, K.*, D. Lesbarrères, C. Tremblay Beaulieu*, G. Watson and J.D. Litzgus. 2016. Effects of a mining-altered environment on individual fitness of amphibians and reptiles. Ecosphere 7(6): e01360 .

Baxter-Gilbert*, J.H., J.L. Riley*, D. Lesbarrères, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Mitigating reptile road mortality: Fence failures compromise ecopassage effectiveness. PLoS ONE (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120537).

Baxter-Gilbert*, J.H., J.L. Riley*, C.J.H. Neufeld*, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarrères. 2015. Road mortality responsible for billions of pollinating insect deaths annually. Journal of Insect Conservation 19(5): 1029-1035 (doi: 10.1007/s10841-015-9808-z).

Baxter-Gilbert*, J.H., J.L. Riley*, P. Moldowan*, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Sistrurus catenatus catenatus (Eastern Massasauga) and Nerodia sipedon sipedon (Northern Watersnake). Diet and foreign object. Herpetological Review 46(1): 107.

Bennett, A.M.*, M.G. Keevil*, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Sternotherus odoratus (Eastern Musk Turtle). Home range. Herpetological Review 46(2): 245-246.

Boyle, S.*, J.D. Litzgus, and D. Lesbarrères. 2015. Chelydra serpentina (Snapping Turtle). Injury. Herpetological Review 46(2): 240-241.

Moldowan, P.D.*, M.G. Keevil*, P.B. Mills, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Diet and feeding behaviour of Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina) and Midland Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta marginata) in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist 129(4): 403-408.

Moldowan, P.D.*, M.G. Keevil*, S. Kell*, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Anti-predator defenses of Brown Bullheads (Ameiurus nebulosus) and interactions with Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentina). Canadian Field-Naturalist 129(2): 189-193. [journal cover photo by P.D. Moldowan]

Moldowan, P.D.*, M.G. Keevil*, N. Koper, R.J. Brooks, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Growth, sexual maturity, and reproduction of a female Midland Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) afflicted with kyphosis. Chelonian Conservation and Biology 14(2): 157-160.

Sasaki, K.*, D. Lesbarrères, G. Watson, and J.D. Litzgus. 2015. Mining-caused changes to habitat structure affect amphibian and reptile population ecology more than metal pollution. Ecological Applications 25(8): 2240-2254 (doi.org/10.1890/14-1418.1).