ONLINE RESOURCE 1 Growth models Non-linear regression was used with four commonly used growth models (von Bertalanffy; Gompertz; Richards; a Logistic model; Table 1). The best growth model was firstly identified for males and females separately by considering the entire sampling period (8 years). Starting with the AICc values (i.e., the AIC values corrected for small sample size), we calculated the Akaike weights (wi), which indicated the probability of each model being the best model among the four model candidates (Burnham and Anderson 2002). The model that best described males’ population growth when considering the whole study period was the von Bertalanffy model (48%), followed by the Gompertz model (29%). Conversely, females showed the opposite result as the Gompertz model was the most supported (43% probability), followed by the von Bertalanffy model (30%; Table 2). Comparisons between the growth patterns of males and females were made using the von Bertalanffy model since this model obtained the highest mean probability for both males and females (averaged probability: Bertalanffy = 39%, Gompertz = 36%). Additionally, selection of the von Bertalanffy model enhanced the comparability of the results of our work as it is the most widely used model to describe chelonians population growth (Zivkov et al. 2007; Macale et al. 2009). The calculated parameters using the growth curves between sexes appear in Table 3. TABLE 1.- For known age models, the dependent variable is carapace length at age t (CL), S∞ is asymptotic size, b is a parameter associated with the amount of growth remaining, and k is the growth rate. For the Richard’s model, n is a curve shape parameter. For the interval analogues, the parameters are the same, although the dependent variable is carapace length at recapture (CL2), CL1 is carapace length at the initial capture, and t is the interval between captures in years. This table has been created with modifications from Dodd and Dreslik (2007). Model Known age Interval analogue Von Bertalanffy1 S∞ (1 - b𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 ) CL2=S∞ - (S∞ - CL1) 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 Gompertz S∞ 𝑒 b𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 CL2=S∞ 𝑒 log(CL1/S∞) 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 Richards S∞ (1 − b𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 )1/𝑛 CL2=S∞ (1 + (( CL1/S∞ )1/𝑛 – 1) 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 )𝑛 Logistic2 S∞ ⁄(1 − b𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 ) CL2 = CL1 S∞ ⁄( CL1 + (S∞ − CL1)𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 ) 1 - Interval analogue derived by Fabens (1965). 2 - Interval analogue derived by Schoener and Schoener (1978). TABLE 2-. Growth model parameters and inter-model comparisons using an information-theoretic approach for females (n=80) and males (n=96). n = shape parameter of the growth model; S∞ = asymptotic size; k = growth rate; AICc = Akaike information criterion corrected for small sample size; ΔAICc = AICc differences; wi =model probability; Model n S∞ k AICc ΔAICc wi Females Betarlanffy 161.84 0.106 475.55 0.71 0.30 Gompertz 158.01 0.147 474.84 0 0.43 159.15 0.131 476.43 1.59 0.19 156.54 0.178 478.41 3.57 0.07 Betarlanffy 121.27 0.155 485.84 0 0.48 Gompertz 120.52 0.195 486.89 1.05 0.29 120.96 0.168 487.48 1.64 0.21 120.21 0.227 492.64 6.8 0.02 Richards 2.455* Logistic Males Richards Logistic 1.48* (*) Calculated from the model as appears in the table 1. TABLE 3.- . Fire-related changes in von Bertalanffy growth parameters for males and female Testudo graeca. S∞ = asymptotic size; k = growth rate Females Males S∞ CI k CI S∞ CI k CI Global 161.84 ±8.23 0.106 ±0.032 121.27 ±2.83 0.156 ±0.034 Pre-fire 158.26 ±7.66 0.145 ±0.048 118.23 ±4.24 0.228 ±0.078 Post-fire 165.61 ±14.86 0.086 ±0.040 125.04 ±4.45 0.112 ±0.032 REFERENCES. Burnham KP, Anderson DR (2002) Model Selection and Multimodel Inference: A Practical InformationTheoretic Approach, 2nd ed. Springer-Verlag. Dodd CK Jr, Dreslik MJ (2007) Habitat disturbances differentially affect individual growth rates in a long-lived turtle. J Zool 275:18-25. Fabens AJ (1965) Properties and fitting of the von Bertalanffy growth curve. Growth 29, 265–289. Macale D, Scalici M, Venchi A (2009) Growth, mortality, and longevity of the Egyptian tortoise Testudo kleinmanni Lortet, 1883. Isr J of Ecol Evol 55 (2): 133-147. Schoener TW, Schoener A (1978) Estimating and interpreting body-size growth in some Anolis lizards. Copeia 1978, 390–405. Zivkov M, Ivanchev I, Raikova-Petrova G, Trichkova T (2007) First data on the population structure, growth rate and ontogenetic allometry of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in eastern Stara Planina (Bulgaria) - Comptes Rendus de L’Academie Bulgare des Sciences 60 (9): 1015-1022.