Ecology of Alligator mississippiensis
| Main Ref. | Britton, A., 2002 |
|---|---|
| Remarks | Can tolerate saline waters for short periods of time. Construct burrows used for shelter and hibernation at low temperatures. Construct alligator holes for refuge during dry periods. May cross land when alligator holes dry out to find another body of water. Opportunistic feeders. Juveniles feed on small invertebrates (insects, frogs) and small fish. Dietary range increases as size increases and larger adults consume all aquatic and terrestrial prey (fish, turtles, small mammals, birds, reptiles including small alligators). May also scavenge. Feeding activity related to temperature, decreasing at temperatures below 20 to 23°C. Ectothermic. Home range size of adult males is 2000 acres (Ref. 80292). |
Aquatic zones / Water bodies
| Marine - Neritic | Marine - Oceanic | Brackishwater | Freshwater | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies |
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Habitat
| Substrate | Benthic: demersal; Soft Bottom |
|---|---|
| Substrate Ref. | Britton, A., 2002 |
| Special habitats | Other habitats: burrows; |
| Special habitats Ref. |
Associations
| Ref. | |
|---|---|
| Associations | |
| Associated with | |
| Association remarks | |
| Parasitism |
feeding
| Feeding type | mainly animals (troph. 2.8 and up) |
|---|---|
| Feeding type Ref. | Britton, A., 2002 |
| Feeding habit | hunting macrofauna (predator) |
| Feeding habit Ref. | Britton, A., 2002 |
Trophic Level(s)
| Estimation method | original sample | unfished population | Remark | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Troph | s.e. | Troph | s.e. | ||
| From diet composition | 4.35 | 0.71 | 4.22 | 0.64 | Troph of adults. |
| From individual food items | 4.22 | 0.87 | Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine. | ||
| Ref. | Rice, A.N, 2004 | ||||