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Lamont MM, Slone D, Reid JP, Butler SM, Alday J. Deep vs shallow: GPS tags reveal a dichotomy in movement patterns of loggerhead turtles foraging in a coastal bay. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:40. [PMID: 38816732 PMCID: PMC11140867 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00480-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Individual variation in movement strategies of foraging loggerhead turtles have been documented on the scale of tens to hundreds of kilometers within single ocean basins. Use of different strategies among individuals may reflect variations in resources, predation pressure or competition. It is less common for individual turtles to use different foraging strategies on the scale of kilometers within a single coastal bay. We used GPS tags capable of back-filling fine-scale locations to document movement patterns of loggerhead turtles in a coastal bay in Northwest Florida, U.S.A. METHODS Iridium-linked GPS tags were deployed on loggerhead turtles at a neritic foraging site in Northwest Florida. After filtering telemetry data, point locations were transformed to movement lines and then merged with the original point file to define travel paths and assess travel speed. Home ranges were determined using kernel density function. Diurnal behavioral shifts were examined by examining turtle movements compared to solar time. RESULTS Of the 11 turtles tagged, three tracked turtles remained in deep (~ 6 m) water for almost the entire tracking period, while all other turtles undertook movements from deep water locations, located along edges and channels, to shallow (~ 1-2 m) shoals at regular intervals and primarily at night. Three individuals made short-term movements into the Gulf of Mexico when water temperatures dropped, and movement speeds in the Gulf were greater than those in the bay. Turtles exhibited a novel behavior we termed drifting. CONCLUSIONS This study highlighted the value provided to fine-scale movement studies for species such as sea turtles that surface infrequently by the ability of these GPS tags to store and re-upload data. Future use of these tags at other loggerhead foraging sites, and concurrent with diving and foraging data, would provide a powerful tool to better understand fine-scale movement patterns of sea turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret M Lamont
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA.
| | - Daniel Slone
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA
| | - James P Reid
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA
| | - Susan M Butler
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA
| | - Joseph Alday
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, Gainesville, FL 32653, USA
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Kim IH, Park IK, Park D, Kim MS, Cho IY, Yang D, Han DJ, Cho E, Shim WJ, Hong SH, An YR. Habitat use of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles at the northern limit of their distribution range of the Northwest Pacific Ocean. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0290202. [PMID: 38573996 PMCID: PMC10994308 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Verifying habitats, including the foraging and nesting areas for sea turtles, enables an understanding of their spatial ecology and successful planning of their conservation and management strategies. Recently, the observation frequency and bycatch of loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles have increased in the northern limit of their distribution range, in the northern part of the East China Sea and East (Japan) Sea. We conducted satellite tracking to investigate the habitat use of seven loggerhead and eight green turtles from June 2016 to August 2022 in this area, where little is known about their spatial ecology. We applied a 50 percent volume contour method to determine their main foraging areas and analyzed 6 environmental variables to characterize their habitats. Loggerhead turtles mainly stayed in and used the East China Sea as a foraging area during the tracking period, while two individuals among them also used the East Sea as a seasonal foraging area. Most green turtles also used the East China Sea as a foraging area, near South Korea and Japan, with one individual among them using the lower area of the East Sea as a seasonal foraging area. Notably, one green turtle traveled to Hainan Island in the South China Sea, a historical nesting area. Our results showed that the two sea turtle species included the East Sea as a seasonal foraging area, possibly owing to the abundance of food sources available, despite its relatively lower sea temperature. Considering that loggerhead and green sea turtles were observed using the northern part of the East China Sea and East Sea more frequently than previously known and that the sea temperature gradually increases due to climate change, conservation and management activities are required for sea turtles in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Il-Hun Kim
- Department of Ecology and Conservation, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Il-Kook Park
- Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Daesik Park
- Division of Science Education, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Seop Kim
- Department of Ecology and Conservation, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Young Cho
- Department of Ecology and Conservation, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongwoo Yang
- Department of Ecology and Conservation, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong-Jin Han
- Aqua Team, Aqua Planet Yeosu, Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunvit Cho
- Aqua Team, Aqua Planet Yeosu, Yeosu, Jeollanam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Joon Shim
- Ecological Risk Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Hee Hong
- Ecological Risk Research Department, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Geoje, Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea
- Department of Ocean Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong-Rock An
- Department of Ecology and Conservation, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Seocheon, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
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Stephens SA, Dance MA, Zapp Sluis M, Kline RJ, Streich MK, Stunz GW, Adams AJ, Wells RJD, Rooker JR. Spatial distribution and movement of Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0298394. [PMID: 38451937 PMCID: PMC10919723 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Atlantic tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) are capable of long-distance migrations (hundreds of kilometers) but also exhibit resident behaviors in estuarine and coastal habitats. The aim of this study was to characterize the spatial distribution of juvenile tarpon and identify migration pathways of adult tarpon in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Spatial distribution of juvenile tarpon was investigated using gillnet data collected by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) over the past four decades. Generalized additive models (GAMs) indicated that salinity and water temperature played a significant role in tarpon presence, with tarpon occurrences peaking in the fall and increasing over the past four decades in this region. Adult tarpon caught off Texas (n = 40) and Louisiana (n = 4) were tagged with acoustic transmitters to characterize spatial and temporal trends in their movements and migrations. Of the 44 acoustic transmitters deployed, 18 of the individuals were detected (n = 16 west of the Mississippi River Delta and n = 2 east of the Mississippi River Delta). Tarpon tagged west of the Mississippi River Delta off Texas migrated south in the fall and winter into areas of south Texas and potentially into Mexico, while individuals tagged east of the delta migrated into Florida during the same time period, suggesting the presence of two unique migratory contingents or subpopulations in this region. An improved understanding of the habitat requirements and migratory patterns of tarpon inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico is critically needed by resource managers to assess the vulnerability of each contingent to fishing pressure, and this information will guide multi-state and multi-national conservation efforts to rebuild and sustain tarpon populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane A. Stephens
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A & M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Dance
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Michelle Zapp Sluis
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A & M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Richard J. Kline
- School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, Texas, United States of America
| | - Matthew K. Streich
- Harte Research Institute of Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, United States of America
| | - Gregory W. Stunz
- Harte Research Institute of Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas, United States of America
| | - Aaron J. Adams
- Bonefish & Tarpon Trust, Miami, Florida, United States of America
- Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Fort Pierce, FL, United States of America
| | - R. J. David Wells
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A & M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jay R. Rooker
- Department of Marine Biology, Texas A & M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
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Mateos-Molina D, Bejarano I, Pittman SJ, Möller M, Antonopoulou M, Jabado RW. Coastal lagoons in the United Arab Emirates serve as critical habitats for globally threatened marine megafauna. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 200:116117. [PMID: 38364638 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Shallow coastal lagoons are vital ecosystems for many aquatic species and understanding their biodiversity is essential. Very little is known about the distribution and abundance of globally threatened marine megafauna in coastal lagoons of the Arabian Gulf. This study combined underwater and aerial surveys to investigate the distributions and relative abundance of marine megafauna in a large lagoon. We identified 13 species of megafauna including sea turtles, sharks, and rays. Eleven of these are globally threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Critically Endangered Halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi), and the Endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas) were the most frequently occurring species. Results demonstrate the value of combining aerial and underwater video surveys to obtain spatially comprehensive data on marine megafauna in shallow coastal lagoons. This new information emphasises the importance of Umm Al Quwain lagoon for biodiversity conservation to protect threatened marine species and their habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mateos-Molina
- Emirates Nature in association with World Wildlife Fund (Emirates Nature - WWF), P.O. Box 454891, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Ivonne Bejarano
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, PO Box 26666, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Simon J Pittman
- Oxford Seascape Ecology Lab, School of Geography and the Environment, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
| | - Mona Möller
- Emirates Nature in association with World Wildlife Fund (Emirates Nature - WWF), P.O. Box 454891, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Marina Antonopoulou
- Emirates Nature in association with World Wildlife Fund (Emirates Nature - WWF), P.O. Box 454891, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Rima W Jabado
- Elasmo Project, P.O. Box 29588, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
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5
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Silver-Gorges I, Ceriani SA, Fuentes MMPB. Fine-scale intraspecific niche partitioning in a highly mobile, marine megafauna species: implications for ecology and conservation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221529. [PMID: 37388320 PMCID: PMC10300683 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
A species may partition its realized ecological niche along bionomic and scenopoetic axes due to intraspecific competition for limited resources. How partitioning manifests depends on resource needs and availability by and for the partitioning groups. Here we demonstrate the utility of analysing short- and long-term stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios from imperiled marine megafauna to characterize realized niche partitioning in these species. We captured 113 loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) at a high-use area in the eastern Big Bend, Florida, between 2016 and 2022, comprising 53 subadults, 10 adult males and 50 adult females. We calculated trophic niche metrics using established and novel methods, and constructed Bayesian ellipses and hulls, to characterize loggerhead isotopic niches. These analyses indicated that loggerheads partition their realized ecological niche by lifestage, potentially along both bionomic (e.g. trophic) and/or scenopoetic (e.g. habitat, latitude or longitude) axes, and display different characteristics of resource use within their niches. Analysis of stable isotopes from tissues with different turnover rates enabled this first characterization of intraspecific niche partitioning between and within neritic lifestages in loggerhead turtles, which has direct implications for ongoing research and conservation efforts for this and other imperiled marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Silver-Gorges
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Simona A. Ceriani
- Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | - Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
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6
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Green C, Green DB, Ratcliffe N, Thompson D, Lea M, Baylis AMM, Bond AL, Bost C, Crofts S, Cuthbert RJ, González‐Solís J, Morrison KW, Poisbleau M, Pütz K, Rey AR, Ryan PG, Sagar PM, Steinfurth A, Thiebot J, Tierney M, Whitehead TO, Wotherspoon S, Hindell MA. Potential for redistribution of post-moult habitat for Eudyptes penguins in the Southern Ocean under future climate conditions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:648-667. [PMID: 36278894 PMCID: PMC10099906 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is resulting in spatial redistributions of many species. We assessed the potential effects of climate change on an abundant and widely distributed group of diving birds, Eudyptes penguins, which are the main avian consumers in the Southern Ocean in terms of biomass consumption. Despite their abundance, several of these species have undergone population declines over the past century, potentially due to changing oceanography and prey availability over the important winter months. We used light-based geolocation tracking data for 485 individuals deployed between 2006 and 2020 across 10 of the major breeding locations for five taxa of Eudyptes penguins. We used boosted regression tree modelling to quantify post-moult habitat preference for southern rockhopper (E. chrysocome), eastern rockhopper (E. filholi), northern rockhopper (E. moseleyi) and macaroni/royal (E. chrysolophus and E. schlegeli) penguins. We then modelled their redistribution under two climate change scenarios, representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 (for the end of the century, 2071-2100). As climate forcings differ regionally, we quantified redistribution in the Atlantic, Central Indian, East Indian, West Pacific and East Pacific regions. We found sea surface temperature and sea surface height to be the most important predictors of current habitat for these penguins; physical features that are changing rapidly in the Southern Ocean. Our results indicated that the less severe RCP4.5 would lead to less habitat loss than the more severe RCP8.5. The five taxa of penguin may experience a general poleward redistribution of their preferred habitat, but with contrasting effects in the (i) change in total area of preferred habitat under climate change (ii) according to geographic region and (iii) the species (macaroni/royal vs. rockhopper populations). Our results provide further understanding on the regional impacts and vulnerability of species to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara‐Paige Green
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - David B. Green
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic ScienceInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | | | - David Thompson
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.HataitaiWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Mary‐Anne Lea
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic ScienceInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Alastair M. M. Baylis
- South Atlantic Environmental Research InstituteStanleyFalkland Islands
- Macquarie UniversitySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Alexander L. Bond
- RSPB Centre for Conservation ScienceRoyal Society for the Protection of BirdsThe LodgeSandyUK
- Bird GroupNatural History MuseumTingUK
| | - Charles‐André Bost
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéUMR7372 CNRS‐La Rochelle UniversitéVilliers en BoisFrance
| | | | - Richard J. Cuthbert
- Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsCentre for Conservation ScienceCambridgeUK
- World Land TrustBlyth HouseHalesworthUK
| | - Jacob González‐Solís
- Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Departament de Biologia EvolutivaEcologia i Ciències AmbientalsUniversitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Kyle W. Morrison
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.HataitaiWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Maud Poisbleau
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology GroupDepartment of BiologyUniversity of AntwerpWilrijkBelgium
| | | | | | - Peter G. Ryan
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Paul M. Sagar
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.HataitaiWellingtonNew Zealand
| | - Antje Steinfurth
- Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsCentre for Conservation ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Jean‐Baptiste Thiebot
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd.ChristchurchNew Zealand
- Graduate School of Fisheries SciencesHokkaido UniversityHakodateJapan
| | - Megan Tierney
- South Atlantic Environmental Research InstituteStanleyFalkland Islands
- Joint Nature Conservation CommitteePeterboroughUK
| | - Thomas Otto Whitehead
- FitzPatrick Institute of African OrnithologyDST‐NRF Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of Cape TownRondeboschSouth Africa
| | - Simon Wotherspoon
- Australian Antarctic DivisionDepartment of Agriculture, Water and the EnvironmentAustralian Antarctic DivisionKingstonTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Mark A. Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic StudiesUniversity of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
- ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic ScienceInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
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7
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Salvarani PI, Vieira LR, Rendón-von Osten J, Morgado F. Hawksbill Sea Turtle ( Eretmochelys imbricata) Blood and Eggs Organochlorine Pesticides Concentrations and Embryonic Development in a Nesting Area (Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico). TOXICS 2023; 11:50. [PMID: 36668776 PMCID: PMC9865186 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11010050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Environmental contaminants with chemical origins, such as organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have major impacts on the health of marine animals, including sea turtles, due to the bioaccumulation of those substances by transference throughout the food chain. The effects of environmental pollution on the health of marine turtles are very important for management strategies and conservation. During recent decades, the south Gulf of Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula have suffered from increasingly frequent disturbances from continental landmasses, river systems, urban wastewater runoff, port areas, tourism, industrial activities, pesticides from agricultural use, and other pollutants, such as metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and hydrocarbons (from the oil industry activities), which contaminate water and sediments and worsen the environmental quality of the marine ecosystem in this region. In this study, we assessed the concentrations of OCPs in the blood and eggs of 60 hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting at the Punta Xen turtle camp, and their effects on the nesting population's reproductive performance: specifically, maternal transfer and embryonic development were analyzed. Hematologic characteristics, including packed cell volume, white blood cell count, red blood cell count, and haemoglobin levels, and plasma chemistry values, including creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, uric acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol and glucose, were also measured. The general health of the turtles in this study, as well as their levels of urea, serum creatinine, glucose, uric, acid, cholesterol, and triglyceride, fell within normal ranges and was similar to other normal values, which could indicate the turtles' good energy levels and body conditions for nest-building activity, with all of the turtles able to successfully come ashore to nest. All the same, the obtained results also indicate that OCPs affect the nesting and reproductive performance of the hawksbill turtles, as well as their fertility and the development of the population of eggs and reproductive performance, specifically in terms of maternal transference and embryonic development. There were significant differences in the concentrations of OCPs (ΣHCHs and ΣDienes) between maternal blood and eggs, indicating that these chemicals are transferred from nesting females to eggs and, ultimately, to hatchlings. OCPs may, therefore, have an effect on the health and reproductive performance of hawksbill turtles, both in terms of their fertility and egg development. Conservation strategies need to be species-specific, due to differences in feeding, and address the reasons for any decline, focusing on regional assessments. Thus, accurate and comparable monitoring data are necessary, which requires the standardization of monitoring protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia I. Salvarani
- Department of Biology and the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Luis R. Vieira
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos s/n, 2250-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Jaime Rendón-von Osten
- Instituto Epomex, Universidad Autónoma de Campeche, Av Augustin de Melgar y Juan de la Barrera s/n, Campeche 24039, Mexico
| | - Fernando Morgado
- Department of Biology and the Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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8
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Abreo NAS, Aurelio RM, Kobayashi VB, Thompson KF. 'Eye in the sky': Off-the-shelf unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) highlights exposure of marine turtles to floating litter (FML) in nearshore waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114489. [PMID: 36549238 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Litter is a serious threat to the marine environment, with detrimental effects on wildlife and marine biodiversity. Limited data as a result of funding and logistical challenges in developing countries hamper our understanding of the problem. Here, we employed commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a cost-effective tool to study the exposure of marine turtles to floating marine litter (FML) in waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. A quadcopter UAV was flown autonomously with on-board camera capturing videos during the flight. Still frames were extracted when either turtle or litter were detected in post-flight processing. The extracted frames were georeferenced and mapped using QGIS software. Results showed that turtles are highly exposed to FML in nearshore waters. Moreover, spatial dependence between FML and turtles was also observed. The study highlights the effectiveness of UAVs in marine litter research and underscores the threat of FML to turtles in nearshore waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Angelo S Abreo
- Marine Litter Project, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory - Environmental Studies Group, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines; Institute of Advanced Studies, Davao del Norte State College, Panabo City, Philippines.
| | - Remie M Aurelio
- Center for the Advancement of Research in Mindanao, Office of Research, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines
| | - Vladimer B Kobayashi
- Marine Litter Project, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory - Environmental Studies Group, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines; Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines
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9
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Darmon G, Schulz M, Matiddi M, Loza AL, Tòmàs J, Camedda A, Chaieb O, El Hili HA, Bradai MN, Bray L, Claro F, Dellinger T, Dell'Amico F, de Lucia GA, Duncan EM, Gambaiani D, Godley B, Kaberi H, Kaska Y, Martin J, Moreira C, Ostiategui P, Pham CK, Piermarini R, Revuelta O, Rodríguez Y, Silvestri C, Snape R, Sozbilen D, Tsangaris C, Vale M, Vandeperre F, Miaud C. Drivers of litter ingestion by sea turtles: Three decades of empirical data collected in Atlantic Europe and the Mediterranean. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114364. [PMID: 36435019 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Sea turtles are considered as bio-indicators for monitoring the efficiency of restoration measures to reduce marine litter impacts on health. However, the lack of extended and standardised empirical data has prevented the accurate analysis of the factors influencing litter ingestion and the relationships with individual health. Historic data collected from 1988 and standard data collected from 2016 were harmonised to enable such analyses on necropsied loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in eight Mediterranean and North-East Atlantic countries. Litter was found in 69.24 % of the 1121 individuals, mostly single-use and fishing-related plastics. Spatial location, sex and life history stage explained a minor part of litter ingestion. While no relationships with health could be detected, indicating that all individuals can be integrated as bio-indicators, the mechanistic models published in literature suggest that the high proportion of plastics in the digestive contents (38.77 % per individual) could have long-term repercussions on population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Darmon
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Biogéographie et Écologie des Vertébrés, Montpellier, France.
| | - Marcus Schulz
- AquaEcology GmbH & Co. KG, AquaEcology, Steinkamp 19, 26125 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Marco Matiddi
- Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Nekton Lab, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144 Roma, RM, Italy
| | - Ana Liria Loza
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, EcoAqua University Institute, Telde, Las Palmas 35214, Spain
| | - Jesús Tòmàs
- Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, UVEG, Valencia, Spain
| | - Andrea Camedda
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAS-CNR) - Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in marine environment/National Research Council, Institute of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in Marine Environment - National Research Council Oristano Section, Località Sa Mardini, 09170 Torregrande, Oristano, Italy
| | - Olfa Chaieb
- Tunisian National Institute for the Sciences and Technologies of the Sea, 28 rue du 2 mars 1934, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisia
| | - Hedia A El Hili
- Centre National de Veille Zoosanitaire (National Center for wildlife health monitoring), Tunisia
| | - Mohamed N Bradai
- Tunisian National Institute for the Sciences and Technologies of the Sea, 28 rue du 2 mars 1934, 2025 Salammbô, Tunisia
| | - Laura Bray
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), 46.7 km Athinon-Souniou Ave., Anavyssos, Attiki, 19013, Greece
| | - Françoise Claro
- National museum of natural history, UMS OFB-MNHN-CNRS, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thomas Dellinger
- University of Madeira - Estação de Biologia Marinha do Funchal, Cais de Carvão - Promenade da Orla Marítima P-9000-107 Funchal / Madeira, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Florence Dell'Amico
- Centre d'études et de soins pour les tortues marines (CESTM) - Aquarium La Rochelle, Quai Louis Prunier, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Giuseppe A de Lucia
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAS-CNR) - Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in marine environment/National Research Council, Institute of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in Marine Environment - National Research Council Oristano Section, Località Sa Mardini, 09170 Torregrande, Oristano, Italy
| | - Emily M Duncan
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK; Ocean Science Institute - OKEANOS, Universidade dos Açores, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, 9900-138 Horta, Portugal
| | - Delphine Gambaiani
- CESTMED Center for the Study and Conservation of Mediterranean Sea Turtles, Av. du Palais de la Mer, 30240 Le Grau-du-Roi, France
| | - Brendan Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Helen Kaberi
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), 46.7 km Athinon-Souniou Ave., Anavyssos, Attiki, 19013, Greece
| | - Yakup Kaska
- Pamukkale University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Jessica Martin
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Biogéographie et Écologie des Vertébrés, Montpellier, France
| | - Cláudia Moreira
- University of Coimbra, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Patricia Ostiategui
- University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, EcoAqua University Institute, Telde, Las Palmas 35214, Spain
| | - Christopher K Pham
- Ocean Science Institute - OKEANOS, Universidade dos Açores, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, 9900-138 Horta, Portugal
| | - Raffaella Piermarini
- Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Nekton Lab, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144 Roma, RM, Italy
| | - Ohiana Revuelta
- Marine Zoology Unit, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, UVEG, Valencia, Spain
| | - Yasmina Rodríguez
- Ocean Science Institute - OKEANOS, Universidade dos Açores, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, 9900-138 Horta, Portugal
| | - Cecilia Silvestri
- Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Nekton Lab, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144 Roma, RM, Italy
| | - Robin Snape
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Dogăn Sozbilen
- Pamukkale University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Catherine Tsangaris
- Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), 46.7 km Athinon-Souniou Ave., Anavyssos, Attiki, 19013, Greece
| | - Maria Vale
- Regional Fund for Science and Technology (FRCT), Azores Regional Government, Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal
| | - Frederic Vandeperre
- Ocean Science Institute - OKEANOS, Universidade dos Açores, MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, 9900-138 Horta, Portugal
| | - Claude Miaud
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE-PSL University, IRD, Biogéographie et Écologie des Vertébrés, Montpellier, France
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10
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Assessing the use of marine protected areas by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) tracked from the western Mediterranean. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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11
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Hays GC, Atchison-Balmond N, Cerritelli G, Laloë JO, Luschi P, Mortimer JA, Rattray A, Esteban N. Travel routes to remote ocean targets reveal the map sense resolution for a marine migrant. J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210859. [PMID: 35537472 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
How animals navigate across the ocean to isolated targets remains perplexing greater than 150 years since this question was considered by Charles Darwin. To help solve this long-standing enigma, we considered the likely resolution of any map sense used in migration, based on the navigational performance across different scales (tens to thousands of kilometres). We assessed navigational performance using a unique high-resolution Fastloc-GPS tracking dataset for post-breeding hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) migrating relatively short distances to remote, isolated targets on submerged banks in the Indian Ocean. Individuals often followed circuitous paths (mean straightness index = 0.54, range 0.14-0.93, s.d. = 0.23, n = 22), when migrating short distances (mean beeline distance to target = 106 km, range 68.7-178.2 km). For example, one turtle travelled 1306.2 km when the beeline distance to the target was only 176.4 km. When off the beeline to their target, turtles sometimes corrected their course both in the open ocean and when encountering shallow water. Our results provide compelling evidence that hawksbill turtles only have a relatively crude map sense in the open ocean. The existence of widespread foraging and breeding areas on isolated oceanic sites points to target searching in the final stages of migration being common in sea turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giulia Cerritelli
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Luschi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Jeanne A Mortimer
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.,PO Box 1443, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
| | | | - Nicole Esteban
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
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12
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Giacomo ABD, Barreto J, Teixeira JB, Oliveira L, Cajaíba L, Joyeux JC, Barcelos N, Martins AS. Using drones and ROV to assess the vulnerability of marine megafauna to the Fundão tailings dam collapse. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149302. [PMID: 34426300 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ecology and life history of marine megafauna can answer the ecological importance of a region. This study assesses and monitors the abundance and home range of sea turtles, seabirds, marine mammals and the association with coastal microhabitats in potentially impacted areas at the Rio Doce river mouth, Comboios, and Piraquê-açu river mouth after the collapse of the Fundão dam. Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or drones) were used for megafauna species identification, behavior, population data, habitat characterization, and monitoring of environmental protection areas. The species Sotalia guianensis and Pontoporia blainvillei were the most recorded cetaceans, and the main observed behavior was feeding. Guiana dolphin (S. guianensis) occurs in greater density in the Rio Doce river mouth region, resulting in more than 10 sightings/km2, while franciscana (P. blainvillei) were the most concentrated Comboios area. The seabirds (all species) had up to 15 sightings/km2 at the Rio Doce river mouth, the highest density among sampled areas. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was the most frequently recorded, followed by the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). The green turtle occurred at a higher concentration at the Piraquê-Açu river mouth (above 6 sightings/km2). The sites closest to Rio Doce river mouth and Comboios predominantly showed mud bottoms, while those at Piraquê-Açu mouth were mostly reef structures. The estuarine areas showed greater importance for megafauna than marine areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda B D Giacomo
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Jonathas Barreto
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
| | - João Batista Teixeira
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Lorena Oliveira
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Luciano Cajaíba
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Jean-Christophe Joyeux
- Laboratório de Ictiologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Nelson Barcelos
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Agnaldo S Martins
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Vitória 29075-910, Brazil
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13
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Chatzimentor A, Almpanidou V, Doxa A, Dimitriadis C, Mazaris AD. Projected redistribution of sea turtle foraging areas reveals important sites for conservation. CLIMATE CHANGE ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecochg.2021.100038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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14
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Lockley EC, Eizaguirre C. Effects of global warming on species with temperature-dependent sex determination: Bridging the gap between empirical research and management. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2361-2377. [PMID: 34745331 PMCID: PMC8549623 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Global warming could threaten over 400 species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) worldwide, including all species of sea turtle. During embryonic development, rising temperatures might lead to the overproduction of one sex and, in turn, could bias populations' sex ratios to an extent that threatens their persistence. If climate change predictions are correct, and biased sex ratios reduce population viability, species with TSD may go rapidly extinct unless adaptive mechanisms, whether behavioural, physiological or molecular, exist to buffer these temperature-driven effects. Here, we summarize the discovery of the TSD phenomenon and its still elusive evolutionary significance. We then review the molecular pathways underpinning TSD in model species, along with the hormonal mechanisms that interact with temperatures to determine an individual's sex. To illustrate evolutionary mechanisms that can affect sex determination, we focus on sea turtle biology, discussing both the adaptive potential of this threatened TSD taxon, and the risks associated with conservation mismanagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Lockley
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University LondonLondonUK
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15
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Comparison of UAV and Boat Surveys for Detecting Changes in Breeding Population Dynamics of Sea Turtles. REMOTE SENSING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/rs13152857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Surveying the breeding population of a given species can be difficult for many logistic reasons. Marine turtles are a challenging taxon for the study of reproductive ecology and breeding strategies, because turtles aggregate off-shore and males remain exclusively at sea. For successful management of sea turtle populations, determining operational sex ratios (OSRs) on a continuing basis is critical for determining long-term population viability, particularly in the context of changing hatchling sex ratios due to temperature-dependent sex determination in a warming climate. To understand how survey technique and stage of the breeding season might influence the ability to detect turtles and determine OSRs, we surveyed the presence and identified the sex of adult male and female green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) using a boat and small commercial unoccupied/unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), at the start (October) and peak (December) of a nesting season at an important breeding site at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The ratio of males to females within the breeding ground detected by both survey methods changed from being male-biased in October to heavily female-biased in December, indicating that most males cease their reproductive effort and depart before the peak of the nesting season. Surveying with a UAV more than doubled the rate of turtles seen per minute of survey effort compared with surveying solely from the boat and allowed surveys to be conducted at times and/or places unsafe or inaccessible for boats. The sex of a slightly greater proportion of turtles seen could not be identified by observers using a UAV versus a boat, although more turtles were detected using the UAV. The departure of many males during the peak of the nesting season is likely due to an increasing biological cost of residency in the area because males encounter fewer receptive females as the season progresses and the limited foraging opportunity is insufficient to support the number of males present. Overall, we found that UAVs are an effective tool for studying important but difficult to observe aspects of sea turtle biology.
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16
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Martinez-Estevez L, Amador JPC, Amador FC, Zilliacus KM, Pacheco AM, Seminoff JA, Lucero J, Oceguera K, Tershy BR, Croll DA. Spatial ecology of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in foraging habitats of the Gulf of California, Mexico. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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17
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Cassill DL. Multiple maternal risk-management adaptations in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) mitigate clutch failure caused by catastrophic storms and predators. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2491. [PMID: 33510318 PMCID: PMC7844227 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81968-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal risk-management, an extension of r/K selection, is an indispensable tool for understanding the natural selection pressures that shape the evolution of reproduction. Central to the construct of maternal risk-management is its definition of reproductive success as replacement fitness (w = 2), the survival of one breeding daughter to replace the female and one outbreeding son to replace her mate. Here, I apply maternal risk-management as a theoretical framework to explain multiple reproductive adaptations by loggerhead sea turtles nesting on a barrier island off the southern coast of Florida, US, from 1988 to 2004. Extrapolated over a 30-year reproductive span, nesting females averaged 4000-4500 eggs. I show that, rather than "putting all their eggs in one basket," females divided eggs into 40 clutches of variable size (50-165 eggs). To deposit clutches, females migrated to the barrier island 10-12 times at unpredictable intervals of 2-8 years. Each nesting season, females deposited 1-7 clutches over diversified time intervals at diversified locations on the beach. Despite devastating clutch losses caused by ten catastrophic hurricanes, hundreds of erratic thunderstorms and dozens of predation events during this study, 72% of clutches produced by nesting females on this barrier island were undisturbed-median hatching success for these clutches was an astonishing 92%. I conclude that diversified maternal investments over time and space by nesting females are reproductive adaptations that have successfully offset clutch losses, thus enabling populations of loggerhead females to meet or exceed their reproductive goal of replacement fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deby L. Cassill
- grid.170693.a0000 0001 2353 285XDepartment of Integrative Biology, USF, St. Petersburg campus, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 USA
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18
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Hart KM, Guzy JC, Smith BJ. Drivers of realized satellite tracking duration in marine turtles. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:1. [PMID: 33402218 PMCID: PMC7786511 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-00237-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Satellite tags have revolutionized our understanding of marine animal movements. However, tags may stop transmitting for many reasons and little research has rigorously examined tag failure. Using a long-term, large-scale, multi-species dataset, we evaluated factors influencing tracking duration of satellite tags to inform study design for future tracking studies. METHODS We leveraged data on battery status transmitted with location data, recapture events, and number of transmission days to probabilistically quantify multiple potential causes of failure (i.e., battery failure, premature detachment, and tag damage/fouling). We used a combination of logistic regressions and an ordinary linear model including several predictor variables (i.e., tag type, battery life, species, sex, size, and foraging region). RESULTS We examined subsets of data from 360 satellite tags encompassing 86,889 tracking days deployed on four species of marine turtles throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Bahamas from 2008 to 2019. Only 4.1% of batteries died before failure due to other causes. We observed species-specific variation in how long tags remain attached: hawksbills retained 50% of their tags for 1649 days (95% CI 995-1800), loggerheads for 584 days (95% CI 400-690), and green turtles for 294 days (95% CI 198-450). Estimated tracking duration varied by foraging region (Caribbean: 385 days; Bahamas: 356; southern Gulf of Mexico [SGOM]: 276, northern Gulf of Mexico [NGOM]: 177). Additionally, we documented species-specific variation in estimated tracking duration among foraging regions. Based on sensor data, within the Gulf of Mexico, across species, we estimated that 50% of tags began to foul after 83 95% CI (70-120) days. CONCLUSIONS The main factor that limited tracking duration was tag damage (i.e., fouling and/or antenna breakage). Turtles that spent most of their time in the Gulf of Mexico had shorter tracking durations than those in the Bahamas and Caribbean, with shortest durations observed in the NGOM. Additionally, tracking duration varied by species, likely as a result of behaviors that damage tags. This information will help researchers, tag companies, permitting agencies, and funders better predict expected tracking durations, improving study designs for imperiled marine turtles. Our results highlight the heterogeneity in telemetry device longevity, and we provide a framework for researchers to evaluate telemetry devices with respect to their study objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen M Hart
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, 3321 College Avenue, Davie, FL, 33314, USA.
| | - Jacquelyn C Guzy
- U.S. Geological Survey, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, 3321 College Avenue, Davie, FL, 33314, USA
| | - Brian J Smith
- Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
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19
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Shimada T, Thums M, Hamann M, Limpus CJ, Hays GC, FitzSimmons NN, Wildermann NE, Duarte CM, Meekan MG. Optimising sample sizes for animal distribution analysis using tracking data. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Shimada
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
- Red Sea Research Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
| | - Michele Thums
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
| | - Mark Hamann
- College of Science and Engineering James Cook University Townsville QLD Australia
| | - Colin J. Limpus
- Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Graeme C. Hays
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong VIC Australia
| | - Nancy N. FitzSimmons
- Department of Environment and Science Queensland Government Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Natalie E. Wildermann
- Texas Sea Grant Texas A&M University College Station TX USA
- Fisheries and Ocean Health Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies Corpus Christi TX USA
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Center King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
| | - Mark G. Meekan
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, University of Western Australia Crawley WA Australia
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20
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Combining laparoscopy and satellite tracking: Successful round-trip tracking of female green turtles from feeding areas to nesting grounds and back. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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21
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Auster PJ, Campanella F, Kurth R, Muñoz RC, Taylor JC. Identifying Habitat Associations of Sea Turtles within an Area of Offshore Sub-Tropical Reefs (NW Atlantic). SOUTHEAST NAT 2020. [DOI: 10.1656/058.019.0302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Auster
- University of Connecticut, Department of Marine Sciences, Groton, CT 06340
| | - Fabio Campanella
- Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT, UK
| | - Rochelle Kurth
- Mystic Aquarium – Sea Research Foundation, Mystic, CT 06355
| | - Roldan C. Muñoz
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center Beaufort Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516
| | - J. Christopher Taylor
- NOAA National Ocean Service - National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Beaufort Laboratory, Beaufort, NC 28516
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22
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Chimienti M, Blasi MF, Hochscheid S. Movement patterns of large juvenile loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea: Ontogenetic space use in a small ocean basin. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6978-6992. [PMID: 32760506 PMCID: PMC7391346 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mechanisms that determine how, where, and when ontogenetic habitat shifts occur are mostly unknown in wild populations. Differences in size and environmental characteristics of ontogenetic habitats can lead to differences in movement patterns, behavior, habitat use, and spatial distributions across individuals of the same species. Knowledge of juvenile loggerhead turtles' dispersal, movements, and habitat use is largely unknown, especially in the Mediterranean Sea. Satellite relay data loggers were used to monitor movements, diving behavior, and water temperature of eleven large juvenile loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) deliberately caught in an oceanic habitat in the Mediterranean Sea. Hidden Markov models were used over 4,430 spatial locations to quantify the different activities performed by each individual: transit, low-, and high-intensity diving. Model results were then analyzed in relation to water temperature, bathymetry, and distance to the coast. The hidden Markov model differentiated between bouts of area-restricted search as low- and high-intensity diving, and transit movements. The turtles foraged in deep oceanic waters within 60 km from the coast as well as above 140 km from the coast. They used an average area of 194,802 km2, where most individuals used the deepest part of the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea with the highest seamounts, while only two switched to neritic foraging showing plasticity in foraging strategies among turtles of similar age classes. The foraging distribution of large juvenile loggerhead turtles, including some which were of the minimum size of adults, in the Tyrrhenian Sea is mainly concentrated in a relatively small oceanic area with predictable mesoscale oceanographic features, despite the proximity of suitable neritic foraging habitats. Our study highlights the importance of collecting high-resolution data about species distribution and behavior across different spatio-temporal scales and life stages for implementing conservation and dynamic ocean management actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Chimienti
- Department of Bioscience - Arctic Ecosystem EcologyAarhus UniversityRoskildeDenmark
| | - Monica F. Blasi
- Filicudi WildLife ConservationStimpagnato FilicudiLipariItaliaItaly
| | - Sandra Hochscheid
- Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnMarine Turtle Research CenterPorticiItaly
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23
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Eguchi T, Bredvik J, Graham S, LeRoux R, Saunders B, Seminoff JA. Effects of a power plant closure on home ranges of green turtles in an urban foraging area. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
A natural experiment was conducted to determine effects of a fossil-fueled power plant on home ranges of east Pacific green turtles Chelonia mydas in an urban foraging ground. The power plant, located in south San Diego Bay, California, USA, co-existed with a resident foraging aggregation of ~60 green turtles for ~50 yr. It was decommissioned during a long-term green turtle monitoring study, thus providing a rare opportunity to evaluate how the cessation of warm-water effluent affected turtle movements and habitat use in the area. During pre- and post-decommissioning of the power plant, 7 and 23 green turtles, respectively, were equipped with GPS-enabled satellite transmitters. Useful data were obtained from 17 turtles (4 for pre- and 13 for post-decommissioning). Core use areas (50% utilization distribution [UD]) increased from 0.71 to 1.37 km2 after the power plant decommissioning. Increase in post-power plant 50% UD was greater during nighttime (0.52 to 1.44 km2) than daytime (1.32 to 1.43 km2). Furthermore, UDs moved from the effluent channel to an area closer to seagrass pastures, a presumed foraging habitat of the turtles. The observed expansion of green turtle home ranges may increase turtle-human interactions, such as boat strikes, within the foraging ground; this underscores how seemingly innocuous human actions contribute to inadvertent consequences to wildlife. Possible management and conservation actions include increasing awareness of the public regarding turtle presence in the area through signage and education as well as legislating for a reduction in boat speeds in select areas of the bay.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Eguchi
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037-1508, USA
| | - J Bredvik
- United States Navy, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest, San Diego, CA 93132-5190, USA
| | - S Graham
- United States Navy, Naval information Warfare Center, San Diego, CA 92152-5001, USA
| | - R LeRoux
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037-1508, USA
| | - B Saunders
- United States Navy, Naval information Warfare Center, San Diego, CA 92152-5001, USA
| | - JA Seminoff
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037-1508, USA
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24
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Haywood JC, Fuller WJ, Godley BJ, Margaritoulis D, Shutler JD, Snape RTE, Widdicombe S, Zbinden JA, Broderick AC. Spatial ecology of loggerhead turtles: Insights from stable isotope markers and satellite telemetry. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julia C. Haywood
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Cornwall UK
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory Plymouth UK
| | - Wayne J. Fuller
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Near East University North Cyprus
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Cornwall UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Cornwall UK
| | | | - Jamie D. Shutler
- Centre for Geography and Environmental Science University of Exeter Cornwall UK
| | - Robin TE. Snape
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Cornwall UK
- Society for the Protection of Turtles North Cyprus
| | | | | | - Annette C. Broderick
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Cornwall UK
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25
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Shimada T, Limpus CJ, Hamann M, Bell I, Esteban N, Groom R, Hays GC. Fidelity to foraging sites after long migrations. J Anim Ecol 2019; 89:1008-1016. [PMID: 31785174 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Patterns of animal movement associated with foraging lie at the heart of many ecological studies and often animals face decisions of staying in an environment they know versus relocating to new sites. The lack of knowledge of new foraging sites means there is risk associated with a decision to relocate (e.g. poor foraging) as well as a potential benefit (e.g. improved foraging). Using a unique long-term satellite tracking dataset for several sea turtle species, combined with capture-mark-recapture data extending over 50 years, we show how, across species, individuals generally maintain tight fidelity to specific foraging sites after extended (up to almost 10,000 km) migration to and from distant breeding sites as well as across many decades. Migrating individuals often travelled through suitable foraging areas en route to their 'home' site and so extended their journeys to maintain foraging site fidelity. We explore the likely mechanistic underpinnings of this trait, which is also seen in some migrating birds, and suggest that individuals will forgo areas of suitable forage encountered en route during migration when they have poor knowledge of the long-term suitability of those sites, making relocation to those sites risky.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Shimada
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.,Australian Institute of Marine Science, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Colin J Limpus
- Threatened Species Unit, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Mark Hamann
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia
| | - Ian Bell
- Threatened Species Unit, Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - Nicole Esteban
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Rachel Groom
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Northern Territory Government of Australia, Palmerston, NT, Australia
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26
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Baumbach DS, Anger EC, Collado NA, Dunbar SG. Identifying Sea Turtle Home Ranges Utilizing Citizen-Science Data from Novel Web-Based and Smartphone GIS Applications. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1355.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dustin S. Baumbach
- Protective Turtle Ecology Center for Training, Outreach, and Research, Inc. (ProTECTOR, Inc.), Loma Linda, California 92350 USA [; ]
| | | | - Nancy A. Collado
- School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California 92354 USA []
| | - Stephen G. Dunbar
- Protective Turtle Ecology Center for Training, Outreach, and Research, Inc. (ProTECTOR, Inc.), Loma Linda, California 92350 USA [; ]
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27
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Dalleau M, Kramer‐Schadt S, Gangat Y, Bourjea J, Lajoie G, Grimm V. Modeling the emergence of migratory corridors and foraging hot spots of the green sea turtle. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:10317-10342. [PMID: 31624552 PMCID: PMC6787826 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors shape the spatial distribution and dynamics of populations. Understanding how these factors interact with movement behavior is critical for efficient conservation, in particular for migratory species. Adult female green sea turtles, Chelonia mydas, migrate between foraging and nesting sites that are generally separated by thousands of kilometers. As an emblematic endangered species, green turtles have been intensively studied, with a focus on nesting, migration, and foraging. Nevertheless, few attempts integrated these behaviors and their trade-offs by considering the spatial configurations of foraging and nesting grounds as well as environmental heterogeneity like oceanic currents and food distribution. We developed an individual-based model to investigate the impact of local environmental conditions on emerging migratory corridors and reproductive output and to thereby identify conservation priority sites. The model integrates movement, nesting, and foraging behavior. Despite being largely conceptual, the model captured realistic movement patterns which confirm field studies. The spatial distribution of migratory corridors and foraging hot spots was mostly constrained by features of the regional landscape, such as nesting site locations, distribution of feeding patches, and oceanic currents. These constraints also explained the mixing patterns in regional forager communities. By implementing alternative decision strategies of the turtles, we found that foraging site fidelity and nesting investment, two characteristics of green turtles' biology, are favorable strategies under unpredictable environmental conditions affecting their habitats. Based on our results, we propose specific guidelines for the regional conservation of green turtles as well as future research suggestions advancing spatial ecology of sea turtles. Being implemented in an easy to learn open-source software, our model can coevolve with the collection and analysis of new data on energy budget and movement into a generic tool for sea turtle research and conservation. Our modeling approach could also be useful for supporting the conservation of other migratory marine animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayeul Dalleau
- Centre d'Etude et de Découverte des Tortues Marines (CEDTM)Saint Leu/La RéunionFrance
| | - Stephanie Kramer‐Schadt
- Department of Ecological DynamicsLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife ResearchBerlinGermany
- Department of EcologyTechnische Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Yassine Gangat
- LIM‐IREMIA, EA2525University of La Réunion, PTUSainte‐Clotilde/La RéunionFrance
| | - Jérôme Bourjea
- Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la MerMARBECUniversité de MontpellierCNRSIfremerIRDSète CedexFrance
| | - Gilles Lajoie
- UMR Espace‐DevUniversity of La RéunionSaint‐DenisFrance
| | - Volker Grimm
- Department of Ecological ModellingHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
- Department of Plant Ecology and Nature ConservationUniversity of PotsdamPotsdam‐GolmGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
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28
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Bell IP, Meager J, van de Merwe JP, Madden Hof CA. Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) population demographics at three chemically distinct foraging areas in the northern Great Barrier Reef. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 652:1040-1050. [PMID: 30586791 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The catchments of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) have experienced significant modifications in recent decades, leading to increases in sources of pollutants and declines in coastal water quality. As coastal waters of the GBR support some of the highest density green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging populations in the western Pacific Ocean, understanding the effects of contaminants on GBR green turtle populations is a priority. In 2012, elevated strandings of green turtles in the Upstart Bay region instigated the WWF's collaborative Rivers to Reef to Turtles (RRT) project to investigate if coastal pollutants are compromising green turtle health. Important to interpreting these investigations into toxicology and health is understanding the demographics of the green turtle populations being investigated. In three green turtle foraging grounds, Cleveland Bay (CLV), Upstart Bay (UPB) and the Howick Group of Reefs (HWK), this study explored population size, age class structure, sex ratio, growth rates, body condition and diet, as well as indices of turtle health, such as plastron barnacle loads and eye lesions. The three foraging populations had similar age class structure and adult sex ratios to other green turtle foraging populations in the GBR. Somatic growth rate was nonlinear, peaking in immature turtles, and was much slower in turtles foraging at HWK compared to the other two sites. This may have been due to differences in food source, which was supported by the observed dietary shifts between seagrass and algae in HWK turtles, compared to a consistently seagrass diet in CLV and UPB turtles. There were also small differences in body condition between sites, as well as differences in barnacle loads, eye lesions and occurrence of fibropapilloma tumors. This study provides important information on green turtle foraging ground population dynamics in the northern GBR, and context for the other papers in this special issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian P Bell
- Aquatic Species Program, Queensland Department of Environment and Science, Townsville, Queensland 4810, Australia.
| | - Justin Meager
- Aquatic Species Program, Queensland Department of Environment and Science, Brisbane, Queensland 4810, Australia
| | - Jason P van de Merwe
- Griffith Sciences and Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4222, Australia
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29
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Casale P, Broderick AC, Camiñas JA, Cardona L, Carreras C, Demetropoulos A, Fuller WJ, Godley BJ, Hochscheid S, Kaska Y, Lazar B, Margaritoulis D, Panagopoulou A, Rees AF, Tomás J, Türkozan O. Mediterranean sea turtles: current knowledge and priorities for conservation and research. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2018. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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30
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Cheng IJ, Cheng WH, Chan YT. Geographically closed, yet so different: Contrasting long-term trends at two adjacent sea turtle nesting populations in Taiwan due to different anthropogenic effects. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200063. [PMID: 30063713 PMCID: PMC6067716 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine turtles are endangered megafauna that face both natural disturbances and anthropogenic threats. The islands of Wan-an and Lanyu support two important green turtle nesting populations in Taiwan and are separated by 250 km. Nesting activity was first documented on Wan-an Island in 1992, with 8 nesting females being documented. A further 11 nesting females were first documented on Lanyu Island in 1997. However, by 2015, the Wan-an Island population declined to only 2 nesting females, whereas the Lanyu Island population showed peaks in abundance (up to 24 nesters) every 3-5 years with no long-term decline. Additionally, the recruitment of new nesters to the Wan-an Island population decreased to 15%, whereas recruitment into the Lanyu Island population remained high (66%). The decrease of the nesting population on Wan-an Island might be due to illegal poaching on the high seas along the migratory corridor of the turtles, whereas the stable nesting population on Lanyu Island showed no evidence of such a threat. The two nesting populations use different migratory corridors to their foraging grounds, resulting in different fates of development in population trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- I-Jiunn Cheng
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, ROC
- * E-mail:
| | - Wan-hwa Cheng
- The Masters of Advanced Study in Geographic Information Systems, Arizona State University, Tempe Campus, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Y-T. Chan
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan, ROC
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31
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Cuevas E, Guzmán-Hernández V, Uribe-Martínez A, Raymundo-Sánchez A, Herrera-Pavon R. Identification of Potential Sea Turtle Bycatch Hotspots Using a Spatially Explicit Approach in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1263.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Cuevas
- Pronatura Península de Yucatán, calle 32 #269 x 47 y 47ª, Col. Pinzon II C.P. 97205, Mérida, México []
| | - Vicente Guzmán-Hernández
- Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Laguna de Términos, Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Av. Adolfo López Mateos, Prolongación Playa Norte, C.P. 24140, Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, México []
| | - Abigail Uribe-Martínez
- Posgrado en Geografía, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Investigación Científica, Cd. Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, CDMX []
| | - Ana Raymundo-Sánchez
- Pronatura Península de Yucatán, calle 32 #269 x 47 y 47ª, Col. Pinzon II C.P. 97205, Mérida, México []
| | - Roberto Herrera-Pavon
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Av. del Centenario Km. 5.5, C.P. 7790 Chetumal, Mexico []
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32
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Cantor M, Simões-Lopes PC, Daura-Jorge FG. Spatial consequences for dolphins specialized in foraging with fishermen. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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33
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Pirotta E, Edwards EWJ, New L, Thompson PM. Central place foragers and moving stimuli: A hidden-state model to discriminate the processes affecting movement. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:1116-1125. [PMID: 29577275 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Human activities can influence the movement of organisms, either repelling or attracting individuals depending on whether they interfere with natural behavioural patterns or enhance access to food. To discern the processes affecting such interactions, an appropriate analytical approach must reflect the motivations driving behavioural decisions at multiple scales. In this study, we developed a modelling framework for the analysis of foraging trips by central place foragers. By recognising the distinction between movement phases at a larger scale and movement steps at a finer scale, our model can identify periods when animals are actively following moving attractors in their landscape. We applied the framework to GPS tracking data of northern fulmars Fulmarus glacialis, paired with contemporaneous fishing boat locations, to quantify the putative scavenging activity of these seabirds on discarded fish and offal. We estimated the rate and scale of interaction between individual birds and fishing boats and the interplay with other aspects of a foraging trip. The model classified periods when birds were heading out to sea, returning towards the colony or following the closest boat. The probability of switching towards a boat declined with distance and varied depending on the phase of the trip. The maximum distance at which a bird switched towards the closest boat was estimated around 35 km, suggesting the use of olfactory information to locate food. Individuals spent a quarter of a foraging trip, on average, following fishing boats, with marked heterogeneity among trips and individuals. Our approach can be used to characterise interactions between central place foragers and different anthropogenic or natural stimuli. The model identifies the processes influencing central place foraging at multiple scales, which can improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying movement behaviour and characterise individual variation in interactions with a range of human activities that may attract or repel these species. Therefore, it can be adapted to explore the movement of other species that are subject to multiple dynamic drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA, USA
| | - Ewan W J Edwards
- Lighthouse Field Station, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty, UK.,Marine Scotland Science, The Scottish Government, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Leslie New
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Washington State University, Vancouver, WA, USA
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty, UK
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Harris LR, Nel R, Oosthuizen H, Meÿer M, Kotze D, Anders D, McCue S, Bachoo S. Managing conflicts between economic activities and threatened migratory marine species toward creating a multiobjective blue economy. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2018; 32:411-423. [PMID: 28766846 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Harnessing the economic potential of the oceans is key to combating poverty, enhancing food security, and strengthening economies. But the concomitant risk of intensified resource extraction to migratory species is worrying given these species contribute to important ecological processes, often underpin alternative livelihoods, and are mostly already threatened. We thus sought to quantify the potential conflict between key economic activities (5 fisheries and hydrocarbon exploitation) and sea turtle migration corridors in a region with rapid economic development: southern and eastern Africa. We satellite tracked the movement of 20 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and 14 leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) turtles during their postnesting migrations. We used movement-based kernel density estimation to identify migration corridors for each species. We overlaid these corridors on maps of the distribution and intensity of economic activities, quantified the extent of overlap and threat posed by each activity on each species, and compared the effects of activities. These results were compared with annual bycatch rates in the respective fisheries. Both species' 3 corridors overlapped most with longline fishing, but the effect was worse for leatherbacks: their bycatch rates of approximately 1500/year were substantial relative to the regional population size of <100 nesting females/annum. This bycatch rate is likely slowing population growth. Artisanal fisheries may be of greater concern for loggerheads than for leatherbacks, but the population appears to be withstanding the high bycatch rates because it is increasing exponentially. The hydrocarbon industry currently has a moderately low impact on both species, but mining in key areas (e.g., Southern Mozambique) may undermine >50 years of conservation, potentially affecting >80% of loggerheads, 33% of the (critically endangered) leatherbacks, and their nesting beaches. We support establishing blue economies (i.e., generating wealth from the ocean), but oceans need to be carefully zoned and responsibly managed in both space and time to achieve economic (resource extraction), ecological (conservation, maintenance of processes), and social (maintenance of alternative livelihood opportunities, alleviate poverty) objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda R Harris
- Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, 6001, South Africa
| | - Ronel Nel
- Department of Zoology, Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, 6001, South Africa
| | - Herman Oosthuizen
- Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
| | - Mike Meÿer
- Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
| | - Deon Kotze
- Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
| | - Darrell Anders
- Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
| | - Steven McCue
- Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch: Oceans and Coasts, Cape Town, Western Cape, 8001, South Africa
| | - Santosh Bachoo
- Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife, Private Bag X 3, Congella, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, 4013, South Africa
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Matiddi M, Hochsheid S, Camedda A, Baini M, Cocumelli C, Serena F, Tomassetti P, Travaglini A, Marra S, Campani T, Scholl F, Mancusi C, Amato E, Briguglio P, Maffucci F, Fossi MC, Bentivegna F, de Lucia GA. Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta): A target species for monitoring litter ingested by marine organisms in the Mediterranean Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017. [PMID: 28651091 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.06.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Marine litter is any persistent, manufactured or processed solid material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in the marine and coastal environment. Ingestion of marine litter can have lethal and sub-lethal effects on wildlife that accidentally ingests it, and sea turtles are particularly susceptible to this threat. The European Commission drafted the 2008/56/EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive with the aim to achieve a Good Environmental Status (GES), and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta, Linnaeus 1758) was selected for monitoring the amount and composition of litter ingested by marine animals. An analogous decision has been made under the UNEP/MAP Barcelona Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea, following the Ecosystem Approach. This work provides for the first time, two possible scenarios for the Marine Strategy Framework Directive GES, both related to "Trends in the amount and composition of litter ingested by marine animals" in the Mediterranean Sea. The study validates the use of the loggerhead turtle as target indicator for monitoring the impact of litter on marine biota and calls for immediate use of this protocol throughout the Mediterranean basin and European Region. Both GES scenarios are relevant worldwide, where sea turtles and marine litter are present, for measuring the impact of ingested plastics and developing policy strategies to reduce it. In the period between 2011 and 2014, 150 loggerhead sea turtles, found dead, were collected from the Italian Coast, West Mediterranean Sea Sub-Region. The presence of marine litter was investigated using a standardized protocol for necropsies and lab analysis. The collected items were subdivided into 4 main categories, namely, IND-Industrial plastic, USE-User plastic, RUB-Non plastic rubbish, POL-Pollutants and 14 sub-categories, to detect local diversity. Eighty-five percent of the individuals considered (n = 120) were found to have ingested an average of 1.3 ± 0.2 g of litter (dry mass) or 16 ± 3 items.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Matiddi
- Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy.
| | - Sandra Hochsheid
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Camedda
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy
| | - Matteo Baini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Cristiano Cocumelli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e Toscana (IZSLT), Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Serena
- Tuscany Regional Agency for the Environmental Protection (ARPAT), Via Giovanni Marradi, 114, 57125 Livorno, Italy
| | - Paolo Tomassetti
- Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
| | - Andrea Travaglini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Stefano Marra
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy
| | - Tommaso Campani
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Francesco Scholl
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e Toscana (IZSLT), Via Appia Nuova 1411, 00178 Roma, Italy
| | - Cecilia Mancusi
- Tuscany Regional Agency for the Environmental Protection (ARPAT), Via Giovanni Marradi, 114, 57125 Livorno, Italy
| | - Ezio Amato
- Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Via Vitaliano Brancati 48, 00144 Roma, Italy
| | - Paolo Briguglio
- Clinica Veterinaria Duemari, Via Cagliari 313, 09170 Oristano, Italy
| | - Fulvio Maffucci
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121 Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina Fossi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Flegra Bentivegna
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Andrea de Lucia
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment-National Research Council (IAMC-CNR), loc. Sa Mardini, 09170 Oristano, Italy
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Marchiori E, Negrisolo E, Cassini R, Garofalo L, Poppi L, Tessarin C, Marcer F. Cardiovascular flukes (Trematoda: Spirorchiidae) in Caretta caretta Linnaeus, 1758 from the Mediterranean Sea. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:467. [PMID: 29017541 PMCID: PMC5633879 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2396-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The northern Adriatic Sea represents one of the most important neritic foraging grounds for the loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta L. in the Mediterranean Sea. Four genera of blood flukes with variable prevalence and pathogenic impact have been reported worldwide in this species. Hapalotrema Looss, 1899 and Amphiorchis Price, 1934 are the only two genera reported in Mediterranean waters; however, updated data describing spirorchiidiasis in the central and eastern Mediterranean and infection prevalence are still lacking. This work aimed to investigate the presence and pathology of spirorchiidiasis in C. caretta in the Mediterranean Sea. METHODS One hundred sixty-eight animals stranded along the northwestern Adriatic coast between 2009 and 2015 were submitted to necropsy and subsequent analyses for the detection of adult flukes, detection of eggs in the faeces and spleen and histopathology. Molecular analyses were carried out on hosts (mitochondrial D-loop) and parasites (28S gene and ITS2 spacer) to trace the turtle origins and identify the fluke phylogenetic relationships. RESULTS Spirorchiidiasis was detected in 16.7% of the animals. Hapalotrema mistroides (Monticelli, 1899) and Neospirorchis sp. were found in twenty-six and ten cases, respectively. Adult flukes were found in six cases, while eggs were detectable through copromicroscopic examination for all infected turtles, and the results for the detection of eggs in the spleen agreed with the copromicroscopic analysis. Only mild lesions were observed. Eggs of types 1 and 3 were grossly visible in the gastrointestinal mucosa, vasculitis was rarely observed in the heart and great vessels, and multifocal granulomas were widespread in the tissues. Molecular identification unambiguously assigned the spirorchiid samples to H. mistroides and Neospirorchis sp. Genetic characterization of loggerhead mtDNA pointed to a Mediterranean origin of the turtle hosts. CONCLUSION This survey provides new data on the spread of spirorchiidiasis in the Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtle population and reports for the first time the presence of Neospirorchis spp. in this basin. The infections did not have a causal effect on the death nor a strong impact on the general health status of the animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Marchiori
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Enrico Negrisolo
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Rudi Cassini
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Luisa Garofalo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Centro di Referenza Nazionale per la Medicina Forense Veterinaria, Rieti, Italy
| | - Lisa Poppi
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Cinzia Tessarin
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Federica Marcer
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, Legnaro, Italy
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Ng CKY, Dutton PH, Gu HX, Li TH, Ye MB, Xia ZR, Zhang FY, Duan JX, Hsu CK, Balazs GH, Murphy MB. Regional Conservation Implications of Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Genetic Stock Composition in China. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1253.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Connie Ka Yan Ng
- Department of Biology and Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China [ ; ];
| | - Peter H. Dutton
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037 USA [ ];
| | - He Xiang Gu
- Guangdong Huidong Sea Turtle National Nature Reserve Bureau. China Sea Turtle Base. Sea Turtle Bay, Gangkou Town, Huidong County, Guangdong Province, 516359, People's Republic of China [ ; ; ; ; ];
| | - Tsung Hsien Li
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, 94450, Taiwan [ ];
| | - Ming Bin Ye
- Guangdong Huidong Sea Turtle National Nature Reserve Bureau. China Sea Turtle Base. Sea Turtle Bay, Gangkou Town, Huidong County, Guangdong Province, 516359, People's Republic of China [ ; ; ; ; ];
| | - Zhong Rong Xia
- Guangdong Huidong Sea Turtle National Nature Reserve Bureau. China Sea Turtle Base. Sea Turtle Bay, Gangkou Town, Huidong County, Guangdong Province, 516359, People's Republic of China [ ; ; ; ; ];
| | - Fei Yan Zhang
- Guangdong Huidong Sea Turtle National Nature Reserve Bureau. China Sea Turtle Base. Sea Turtle Bay, Gangkou Town, Huidong County, Guangdong Province, 516359, People's Republic of China [ ; ; ; ; ];
| | - Jin Xia Duan
- Guangdong Huidong Sea Turtle National Nature Reserve Bureau. China Sea Turtle Base. Sea Turtle Bay, Gangkou Town, Huidong County, Guangdong Province, 516359, People's Republic of China [ ; ; ; ; ];
| | - Chung Kang Hsu
- Penghu Marine Biology Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, 266, Shihli, Magong, Penghu, Taiwan [ ];
| | - George H. Balazs
- NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1845 Wasp Boulevard. Honolulu, Hawaii 96818 USA [ ; ]
| | - Margaret B. Murphy
- Department of Biology and Chemistry and State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China [ ; ];
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Schofield G, Katselidis KA, Lilley MKS, Reina RD, Hays GC. Detecting elusive aspects of wildlife ecology using drones: New insights on the mating dynamics and operational sex ratios of sea turtles. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gail Schofield
- Deakin UniversitySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesCentre for Integrative Ecology Warrnambool Vic. Australia
| | | | - Martin K. S. Lilley
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Richard D. Reina
- School of Biological SciencesMonash University Clayton Vic. Australia
| | - Graeme C. Hays
- Deakin UniversitySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesCentre for Integrative Ecology Warrnambool Vic. Australia
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Doyle TK, Haberlin D, Clohessy J, Bennison A, Jessopp M. Localised residency and inter-annual fidelity to coastal foraging areas may place sea bass at risk to local depletion. Sci Rep 2017; 8:45841. [PMID: 28374772 PMCID: PMC5379199 DOI: 10.1038/srep45841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
For many marine migratory fish, comparatively little is known about the movement of individuals rather than the population. Yet, such individual-based movement data is vitally important to understand variability in migratory strategies and fidelity to foraging locations. A case in point is the economically important European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) that inhabits coastal waters during the summer months before migrating offshore to spawn and overwinter. Beyond this broad generalisation we have very limited information on the movements of individuals at coastal foraging grounds. We used acoustic telemetry to track the summer movements and seasonal migrations of individual sea bass in a large tidally and estuarine influenced coastal environment. We found that the vast majority of tagged sea bass displayed long-term residency (mean, 167 days) and inter-annual fidelity (93% return rate) to specific areas. We describe individual fish home ranges of 3 km or less, and while fish clearly had core resident areas, there was movement of fish between closely located receivers. The combination of inter-annual fidelity to localised foraging areas makes sea bass very susceptible to local depletion; however, the designation of protected areas for sea bass may go a long way to ensuring the sustainability of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas K. Doyle
- Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
- MaREI Centre, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
| | - Damien Haberlin
- MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Ireland
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Ireland
| | | | - Ashley Bennison
- MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Ireland
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Mark Jessopp
- MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Ireland
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40
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Home Range and Movement Patterns of Subadult Hawksbill Sea Turtles in Southeast Florida. J HERPETOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1670/15-133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Rees ALF, Carreras C, Broderick AC, Margaritoulis D, Stringell TB, Godley BJ. Linking loggerhead locations: using multiple methods to determine the origin of sea turtles in feeding grounds. MARINE BIOLOGY 2017; 164:30. [PMID: 28133395 PMCID: PMC5236075 DOI: 10.1007/s00227-016-3055-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Many marine megavertebrate taxa, including sea turtles, disperse widely from their hatching or birthing locations but display natal homing as adults. We used flipper tagging, satellite tracking and genetics to identify the origin of loggerhead turtles living in Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece. This location has been identified as hosting regionally important numbers of large-juvenile to adult sized turtles that display long-term residency and/or association to the area, and also presents a male biased sex ratio for adults. A total of 20 individuals were linked to nesting areas in Greece through flipper tagging and satellite telemetry, with the majority (16) associated with Zakynthos Island. One additional female was tracked from Amvrakikos Gulf to Turkey where she likely nested. Mitochondrial DNA mixed stock analyses of turtles captured in Amvrakikos Gulf (n = 95) indicated 82% of individuals originated from Greek nesting stocks, mainly from Zakynthos Island (63%), with lesser contributions from central Turkey, Cyprus and Libya. These results suggest that the male-biased sex ratio found in Amvrakikos Gulf may be driven by the fact that males breed twice as frequently on Zakynthos, resulting in their using foraging grounds of greater proximity to the breeding site. Conservation measures in localised foraging habitats for the protection of marine vertebrates, such as sea turtles, may have positive impacts on several disparate breeding stocks and the use of multiple methods to determine source populations can indicate the relative effectiveness of these measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- ALan F. Rees
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, 104 32 Athens, Greece
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Carlos Carreras
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IRBio, University of Barcelona, Av.Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Annette C. Broderick
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Dimitris Margaritoulis
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, 104 32 Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas B. Stringell
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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Vander Zanden HB, Bolten AB, Tucker AD, Hart KM, Lamont MM, Fujisaki I, Reich KJ, Addison DS, Mansfield KL, Phillips KF, Pajuelo M, Bjorndal KA. Biomarkers reveal sea turtles remained in oiled areas following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:2145-2155. [PMID: 27755731 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Assessments of large-scale disasters, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, are problematic because while measurements of post-disturbance conditions are common, measurements of pre-disturbance baselines are only rarely available. Without adequate observations of pre-disaster organismal and environmental conditions, it is impossible to assess the impact of such catastrophes on animal populations and ecological communities. Here, we use long-term biological tissue records to provide pre-disaster data for a vulnerable marine organism. Keratin samples from the carapace of loggerhead sea turtles record the foraging history for up to 18 years, allowing us to evaluate the effect of the oil spill on sea turtle foraging patterns. Samples were collected from 76 satellite-tracked adult loggerheads in 2011 and 2012, approximately one to two years after the spill. Of the 10 individuals that foraged in areas exposed to surface oil, none demonstrated significant changes in foraging patterns post spill. The observed long-term fidelity to foraging sites indicates that loggerheads in the northern Gulf of Mexico likely remained in established foraging sites, regardless of the introduction of oil and chemical dispersants. More research is needed to address potential long-term health consequences to turtles in this region. Mobile marine organisms present challenges for researchers to monitor effects of environmental disasters, both spatially and temporally. We demonstrate that biological tissues can reveal long-term histories of animal behavior and provide critical pre-disaster baselines following an anthropogenic disturbance or natural disaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah B Vander Zanden
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 115 S 1460 E Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA.
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525 Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA.
| | - Alan B Bolten
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525 Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Anton D Tucker
- Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, Florida, 34236, USA
| | - Kristen M Hart
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 3321 College Ave, Davie, Florida, 33314, USA
| | - Margaret M Lamont
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 7920 NW 71St St, Gainesville, Florida, 32653, USA
| | - Ikuko Fujisaki
- Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3205 College Ave, Davie, Florida, 33314, USA
| | - Kimberly J Reich
- Texas A & M Galveston, P.O. Box 1675, Galveston, Texas, 77553, USA
| | - David S Addison
- Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples, Florida, 34102, USA
| | - Katherine L Mansfield
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Dr, Orlando, Florida, 32816, USA
| | - Katrina F Phillips
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Dr, Orlando, Florida, 32816, USA
| | - Mariela Pajuelo
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525 Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Karen A Bjorndal
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research and Department of Biology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525 Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
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Snape RTE, Broderick AC, Çiçek BA, Fuller WJ, Glen F, Stokes K, Godley BJ. Shelf life: neritic habitat use of a turtle population highly threatened by fisheries. DIVERS DISTRIB 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Robin T. E. Snape
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
- Society for Protection of Turtles PK.65 Kyrenia North Cyprus Mersin 10 Turkey
| | - Annette C. Broderick
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Burak A. Çiçek
- Underwater Research and Imaging Centre Biological Sciences Department Eastern Mediterranean University Famagusta North Cyprus Mersin 10 Turkey
| | - Wayne J. Fuller
- Society for Protection of Turtles PK.65 Kyrenia North Cyprus Mersin 10 Turkey
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Near East University North Cyprus Mersin 10 Turkey
| | - Fiona Glen
- Society for Protection of Turtles PK.65 Kyrenia North Cyprus Mersin 10 Turkey
| | - Kimberley Stokes
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group Centre for Ecology and Conservation College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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Vardanis Y, Nilsson JÅ, Klaassen RH, Strandberg R, Alerstam T. Consistency in long-distance bird migration: contrasting patterns in time and space for two raptors. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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45
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Wilmé L, Waeber PO, Ganzhorn JU. Marine turtles used to assist Austronesian sailors reaching new islands. C R Biol 2016; 339:78-82. [PMID: 26857090 DOI: 10.1016/j.crvi.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Revised: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Austronesians colonized the islands of Rapa Nui, Hawaii, the Marquesas and Madagascar. All of these islands have been found to harbor Austronesian artifacts and also, all of them are known nesting sites for marine turtles. Turtles are well known for their transoceanic migrations, sometimes totalling thousands of miles, between feeding and nesting grounds. All marine turtles require land for nesting. Ancient Austronesians are known to have had outstanding navigation skills, which they used to adjust course directions. But these skills will have been insufficient to locate tiny, remote islands in the vast Indo-Pacific oceans. We postulate that the Austronesians must have had an understanding of the marine turtles' migration patterns and used this knowledge to locate remote and unknown islands. The depth and speed at which marine turtles migrate makes following them by outrigger canoes feasible. Humans have long capitalized on knowledge of animal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucienne Wilmé
- University of Antananarivo, School of Agronomy, Water and Forest Department, BP 175, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar; Missouri Botanical Garden, Madagascar Research & Conservation Program, BP 3391, Antananarivo 101, Madagascar.
| | - Patrick O Waeber
- Forest Management and Development, Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Joerg U Ganzhorn
- Animal Ecology and Conservation, Hamburg University, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.
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46
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Patel SH, Morreale SJ, Panagopoulou A, Bailey H, Robinson NJ, Paladino FV, Margaritoulis D, Spotila JR. Changepoint analysis: a new approach for revealing animal movements and behaviors from satellite telemetry data. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00358.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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47
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Lea JSE, Wetherbee BM, Queiroz N, Burnie N, Aming C, Sousa LL, Mucientes GR, Humphries NE, Harvey GM, Sims DW, Shivji MS. Repeated, long-distance migrations by a philopatric predator targeting highly contrasting ecosystems. Sci Rep 2015; 5:11202. [PMID: 26057337 PMCID: PMC4460898 DOI: 10.1038/srep11202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-distance movements of animals are an important driver of population spatial dynamics and determine the extent of overlap with area-focused human activities, such as fishing. Despite global concerns of declining shark populations, a major limitation in assessments of population trends or spatial management options is the lack of information on their long-term migratory behaviour. For a large marine predator, the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier, we show from individuals satellite-tracked for multiple years (up to 1101 days) that adult males undertake annually repeated, round-trip migrations of over 7,500 km in the northwest Atlantic. Notably, these migrations occurred between the highly disparate ecosystems of Caribbean coral reef regions in winter and high latitude oceanic areas in summer, with strong, repeated philopatry to specific overwintering insular habitat. Partial migration also occurred, with smaller, immature individuals displaying reduced migration propensity. Foraging may be a putative motivation for these oceanic migrations, with summer behaviour showing higher path tortuosity at the oceanic range extremes. The predictable migratory patterns and use of highly divergent ecosystems shown by male tiger sharks appear broadly similar to migrations seen in birds, reptiles and mammals, and highlight opportunities for dynamic spatial management and conservation measures of highly mobile sharks.
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Affiliation(s)
- James S E Lea
- 1] The Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, United States of America [2] Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK [3] Danah Divers, Marine Research Facility, PO Box 10646, Jeddah, 21443, Saudi Arabia [4] University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Bradley M Wetherbee
- 1] The Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, United States of America [2] Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Nuno Queiroz
- 1] Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK [2] CIBIO - Universidade do Porto, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-668 Vairão, Portugal
| | | | | | - Lara L Sousa
- 1] Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK [2] CIBIO - Universidade do Porto, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-668 Vairão, Portugal [3] Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK
| | - Gonzalo R Mucientes
- 1] Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK [2] Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, CSIC, Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208, Vigo, Spain [3] CETMAR, Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208, Vigo, Spain
| | - Nicolas E Humphries
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK
| | - Guy M Harvey
- The Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, United States of America
| | - David W Sims
- 1] Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth PL1 2PB, UK [2] Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton SO14 3ZH, UK [3] Centre for Biological Sciences, Building 85, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Mahmood S Shivji
- The Guy Harvey Research Institute, Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, United States of America
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48
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Saito T, Kurita M, Okamoto H, Uchida I, Parker D, Balazs G. Tracking Male Loggerhead Turtle Migrations Around Southwestern Japan Using Satellite Telemetry. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.2744/ccab-14-01-82-87.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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49
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Arthur B, Hindell M, Bester M, Trathan P, Jonsen I, Staniland I, Oosthuizen WC, Wege M, Lea MA. Return customers: foraging site fidelity and the effect of environmental variability in wide-ranging antarctic fur seals. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120888. [PMID: 25807082 PMCID: PMC4373865 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Strategies employed by wide-ranging foraging animals involve consideration of habitat quality and predictability and should maximise net energy gain. Fidelity to foraging sites is common in areas of high resource availability or where predictable changes in resource availability occur. However, if resource availability is heterogeneous or unpredictable, as it often is in marine environments, then habitat familiarity may also present ecological benefits to individuals. We examined the winter foraging distribution of female Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazelle, over four years to assess the degree of foraging site fidelity at two scales; within and between years. On average, between-year fidelity was strong, with most individuals utilising more than half of their annual foraging home range over multiple years. However, fidelity was a bimodal strategy among individuals, with five out of eight animals recording between-year overlap values of greater than 50%, while three animals recorded values of less than 5%. High long-term variance in sea surface temperature, a potential proxy for elevated long-term productivity and prey availability, typified areas of overlap. Within-year foraging site fidelity was weak, indicating that successive trips over the winter target different geographic areas. We suggest that over a season, changes in prey availability are predictable enough for individuals to shift foraging area in response, with limited associated energetic costs. Conversely, over multiple years, the availability of prey resources is less spatially and temporally predictable, increasing the potential costs of shifting foraging area and favouring long-term site fidelity. In a dynamic and patchy environment, multi-year foraging site fidelity may confer a long-term energetic advantage to the individual. Such behaviours that operate at the individual level have evolutionary and ecological implications and are potential drivers of niche specialization and modifiers of intra-specific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Arthur
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Mark Hindell
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Marthan Bester
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Phil Trathan
- British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Ian Jonsen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - W. Chris Oosthuizen
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mia Wege
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mary-Anne Lea
- Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
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50
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McCauley DJ, Pinsky ML, Palumbi SR, Estes JA, Joyce FH, Warner RR. Marine defaunation: Animal loss in the global ocean. Science 2015; 347:1255641. [PMID: 25593191 DOI: 10.1126/science.1255641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 407] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas J McCauley
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
| | - Malin L Pinsky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Stephen R Palumbi
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
| | - James A Estes
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Francis H Joyce
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Robert R Warner
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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