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Abstract
Conservation of declining species relies on identifying threats, predicting their impacts, and mitigating these risks with specific solutions. Diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) are declining or of unknown status across the majority of their range due to multiple anthropogenic threats, including road mortality of adult females. This thesis assessed the patterns of road mortality on a heavily used causeway leading to Jekyll Island, Georgia and modeled terrapin population growth using current estimates of road mortality and nest predation. Terrapin-vehicle collisions were concentrated spatially and temporally based on predictable cues. We predicted substantial declines in the terrapin population near Jekyll Island given current threat levels. Population growth was most sensitive to changes in adult survival, so management should prioritize the reduction of road mortality. These results yield a firmer understanding of the characteristics and probable impacts of road mortality on terrapin populations and can influence mitigation strategies for this and other causeways.