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Simantiris N. The impact of climate change on sea turtles: Current knowledge, scientometrics, and mitigation strategies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 923:171354. [PMID: 38460688 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171354] [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: 12/11/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Sea turtles are one of the most significant groups of marine species, playing a key role in the sustainability and conservation of marine ecosystems and the food chain. These emblematic species are threatened by several natural and anthropogenic pressures, and climate change is increasingly reported as one of the most important threats to sea turtles, affecting sea turtles at all stages of their life cycle and at both their marine and coastal habitats. The effect of climate change is expressed as global warming, sea-level rise, extreme storms, and alterations in predation and diseases' patterns, posing a potentially negative impact on sea turtles. In this systematic review, the author presented the current knowledge and research outcomes on the impact of climate change on sea turtles. Moreover, this study determined trends and hotspots in keywords, country collaborations, authors, and publications in the field through a scientometric analysis. Finally, this article reviewed proposed mitigation strategies by researchers, marine protected area (MPA) managers, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to reduce the impact of climate change on the conservation of sea turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Simantiris
- MEDASSET (Mediterranean Association to Save the Sea Turtles), Likavittou 1C, Athens, 10632, Greece; Ionian University, Department of Informatics, Corfu, 49132, Greece.
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2
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Goudarzi F, Doxa A, Hemami MR, Mazaris AD. Thermal vulnerability of sea turtle foraging grounds around the globe. Commun Biol 2024; 7:347. [PMID: 38514821 PMCID: PMC10958041 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Anticipating and mitigating the impacts of climate change on biodiversity requires a comprehensive understanding on key habitats utilized by species. Yet, such information for high mobile marine megafauna species remains limited. Here, we compile a global database comprising published satellite tracking data (n = 1035 individuals) to spatially delineate foraging grounds for seven sea turtle species and assess their thermal stability. We identified 133 foraging areas distributed around the globe, of which only 2% of the total surface is enclosed within an existing protected area. One-third of the total coverage of foraging hotspots is situated in high seas, where conservation focus is often neglected. Our analyses revealed that more than two-thirds of these vital marine habitats will experience new sea surface temperature (SST) conditions by 2100, exposing sea turtles to potential thermal risks. Our findings underline the importance of global ocean conservation efforts, which can meet climate challenges even in remote environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forough Goudarzi
- Department of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management, Environmental Sciences Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University (SBU), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Aggeliki Doxa
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, University Campus Vouton, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Mahmoud-Reza Hemami
- Department of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 8415683111, Iran
| | - Antonios D Mazaris
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, 54124, Greece
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3
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Mihaljević Ž, Naletilić Š, Jeremić J, Kilvain I, Belaj T, Andreanszky T. Spatiotemporal Analysis of Stranded Loggerhead Sea Turtles on the Croatian Adriatic Coast. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:703. [PMID: 38473088 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the spatiotemporal trends of loggerhead turtles along the Croatian Adriatic coast by using stranding data and post-mortem analyses. Information on 620 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta), collected in the period between 2010 and 2022, has been analysed. Seasonal stranding variations reveal distinct patterns, indicating season-specific abundance and age-specific mortality in different areas, particularly in the key neritic habitat of the northern Adriatic. The analysis identifies four critical areas in the northeast and central Adriatic showing high stranding densities and provides regional managers with a tool with which to effectively conserve and manage this species. Fishing-induced mortality, collision with vessels, and potential cold stunning are identified as major threats to loggerhead turtles. Post-mortem investigations reveal that longline fishing gear and collisions with vessels are significant age-specific mortality contributors, underscoring the need for targeted conservation efforts in high-risk areas. The study acknowledges potential biases in strandings records but highlights the importance of post-mortem investigations in understanding mortality causes. The findings provide valuable insights for improving conservation strategies, emphasizing the importance of focused surveillance and conservation efforts in identified high-risk locations to mitigate human-turtle interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Željko Mihaljević
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Šimun Naletilić
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jasna Jeremić
- Ministry of Environment and Energy, Radnička Cesta 80/7, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Iva Kilvain
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Tina Belaj
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 Veli Lošinj, Croatia
| | - Tibor Andreanszky
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska Cesta 143, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
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4
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Luna-Ortiz A, Marín-Capuz G, Abella E, Crespo-Picazo JL, Escribano F, Félix G, Giralt S, Tomás J, Pegueroles C, Pascual M, Carreras C. New colonisers drive the increase of the emerging loggerhead turtle nesting in Western Mediterranean. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1506. [PMID: 38233518 PMCID: PMC10794258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51664-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is sensitive to climate change and is responding by colonising the Western Mediterranean. To understand the rapid nesting increase in recent years in Spain, we sampled 45 hatchlings from 8 nests between 2016 and 2019. We sequenced a mtDNA D-loop region, genotyped 2291 SNPs using 2bRAD and collected data on clutch size, hatching success, and incubation duration. We confirmed that the colonisation has a Mediterranean and Atlantic mixed origin and we detected that these nests were laid by different females, except for two nests within the same season. Our results suggest that the recent increase in nesting is due to an increase in the number of colonising individuals rather than females born in the same area returning to breed. We hypothesize that this increase in the number of colonisers results from successful conservation efforts, feminisation of the populations of origin and earlier sexual maturation. However, the percentage of offspring females produced in Spain suggests that future returning individuals will aid to the settlement of the new population. These results allow defining the current status of this colonisation although future efforts are needed to detect remigrants to confirm the establishment of a resident population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Luna-Ortiz
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gisela Marín-Capuz
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Abella
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Carretera Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Spain
| | - José Luis Crespo-Picazo
- Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, 46013, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Escribano
- Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre "El Valle", Ctra. Subida a El Valle, 62, 30150, La Alberca de las Torres, Murcia, Spain
| | - Guillem Félix
- Consorci per a la Recuperació de la Fauna de les Illes Balears (COFIB), Servei de Protecció d'Espècies. Conselleria Agricultura, Pesca i Medi Natural. Govern de les Illes Balears, Carretera Palma- Sineu, Km 15,400, 07142, Santa Eugènia, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Silvia Giralt
- Fundación para la Conservación y la Recuperación de Animales Marinos (CRAM), 08820, El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Tomás
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, University of Valencia, Apdo, 22085, 46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cinta Pegueroles
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Pascual
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Carreras
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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5
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Ahmad S, Mao W. Pakistan's turtle species at risk of extinction. Science 2023; 382:1370. [PMID: 38127767 DOI: 10.1126/science.adm7123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Ahmad
- School of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Hainan 570228, China
| | - Wei Mao
- School of Ecology and Environment, Hainan University, Hainan 570228, China
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Mazaris AD, Dimitriadis C, Papazekou M, Schofield G, Doxa A, Chatzimentor A, Turkozan O, Katsanevakis S, Lioliou A, Abalo-Morla S, Aksissou M, Arcangeli A, Attard V, El Hili HA, Atzori F, Belda EJ, Ben Nakhla L, Berbash AA, Bjorndal KA, Broderick AC, Camiñas JA, Candan O, Cardona L, Cetkovic I, Dakik N, de Lucia GA, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Diryaq S, Favilli C, Fortuna CM, Fuller WJ, Gallon S, Hamza A, Jribi I, Ben Ismail M, Kamarianakis Y, Kaska Y, Korro K, Koutsoubas D, Lauriano G, Lazar B, March D, Marco A, Minotou C, Monsinjon JR, Naguib NM, Palialexis A, Piroli V, Sami K, Sönmez B, Sourbès L, Sözbilen D, Vandeperre F, Vignes P, Xanthakis M, Köpsel V, Peck MA. Priorities for Mediterranean marine turtle conservation and management in the face of climate change. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 339:117805. [PMID: 37043912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117805] [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: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
As climate-related impacts threaten marine biodiversity globally, it is important to adjust conservation efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change. Translating scientific knowledge into practical management, however, is often complicated due to resource, economic and policy constraints, generating a knowledge-action gap. To develop potential solutions for marine turtle conservation, we explored the perceptions of key actors across 18 countries in the Mediterranean. These actors evaluated their perceived relative importance of 19 adaptation and mitigation measures that could safeguard marine turtles from climate change. Of importance, despite differences in expertise, experience and focal country, the perceptions of researchers and management practitioners largely converged with respect to prioritizing adaptation and mitigation measures. Climate change was considered to have the greatest impacts on offspring sex ratios and suitable nesting sites. The most viable adaptation/mitigation measures were considered to be reducing other pressures that act in parallel to climate change. Ecological effectiveness represented a key determinant for implementing proposed measures, followed by practical applicability, financial cost, and societal cost. This convergence in opinions across actors likely reflects long-standing initiatives in the Mediterranean region towards supporting knowledge exchange in marine turtle conservation. Our results provide important guidance on how to prioritize measures that incorporate climate change in decision-making processes related to the current and future management and protection of marine turtles at the ocean-basin scale, and could be used to guide decisions in other regions globally. Importantly, this study demonstrates a successful example of how interactive processes can be used to fill the knowledge-action gap between research and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios D Mazaris
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
| | - Charalampos Dimitriadis
- Management Unit of Zakynthos and Ainos National Parks and Protected Areas of the Ionian Islands, Zakynthos, Greece
| | - Maria Papazekou
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Gail Schofield
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Aggeliki Doxa
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Anastasia Chatzimentor
- Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Oguz Turkozan
- Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Aydın, Turkiye
| | | | - Aphrodite Lioliou
- Managing Authority of European Territorial Cooperation Programmes (INTERREG), Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sara Abalo-Morla
- Institut d' Investigació per a La Gestió de Zones Costaneres (IGIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain; Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo (COV-IEO), CSIC, Vigo, Spain
| | - Mustapha Aksissou
- Laboratoire Ecologie, Systématique, Conservation de La Biodiversité (LESCB), Faculté des Sciences de Tétouan, Université Abdelmalek Essaâdi, Tetouan, Morocco
| | - Antonella Arcangeli
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research - ISPRA, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Fabrizio Atzori
- Marine Protected Area Capo Carbonara, Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy
| | - Eduardo J Belda
- Institut d' Investigació per a La Gestió de Zones Costaneres (IGIC), Universitat Politècnica de València, València, Spain
| | - Lobna Ben Nakhla
- Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (UNEP/MAP-SPA/RAC), Tunisia
| | - Ali A Berbash
- Protected Area and Biodiversity Section, Nature Conservation Department, Ministry of Environment, Libya
| | - Karen A Bjorndal
- Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - Juan A Camiñas
- Asociación Herpetológica Española (AHE), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid, Spain
| | - Onur Candan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkiye
| | - Luis Cardona
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ilija Cetkovic
- University of Montenegro - Institute of Marine Biology, Kotor, Montenegro
| | - Nabigha Dakik
- Management Unit of Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, Tyre, Lebanon
| | - Giuseppe Andrea de Lucia
- IAS-CNR, Institute of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in Marine Environment, National Research Council Oristano Section, Torregrande, Italy
| | | | - Salih Diryaq
- Ministry of Environment - Sirte Branch, Sirte, Libya
| | | | | | - Wayne J Fuller
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Imed Jribi
- Faculté des Sciences de Sfax, Université de Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Manel Ben Ismail
- Iberostar Group - Sustainability Department - Wave of Change, Hammamet, Tunisia; Notre Grand Bleu Association, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Yiannis Kamarianakis
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Yakup Kaska
- Pamukkale University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Denizli, Turkiye; Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (DEKAMER), Muğla, Turkiye
| | - Kastriot Korro
- Wildlife and Health Research Center, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Drosos Koutsoubas
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Giancarlo Lauriano
- Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research - ISPRA, Rome, Italy
| | - Bojan Lazar
- Department of Biodiversity, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia; Marine Science Program, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Pula, Croatia
| | - David March
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, UK; Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Adolfo Marco
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, C/Américo Vespucio, S/n, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | | | - Nahla M Naguib
- Biodiversity Department, Nature Conservation Sector, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA), Egypt
| | | | - Vilma Piroli
- University of Shkodra "Luigj Gurakuqi", Shkoder, Albania
| | - Karaa Sami
- Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de La Mer Tunisie, Tunisia
| | - Bektaş Sönmez
- Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Suşehri Timur Karabal Vocational School, Suşehri, Sivas, Turkiye
| | - Laurent Sourbès
- Management Unit of Zakynthos and Ainos National Parks and Protected Areas of the Ionian Islands, Zakynthos, Greece
| | - Doğan Sözbilen
- Pamukkale University, Acipayam Vocational School, Veterinary Department, Denizli, Turkiye
| | - Frederic Vandeperre
- Institute of Marine Sciences - Okeanos, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal
| | - Pierre Vignes
- Faculty of Education, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya
| | - Michail Xanthakis
- Management Unit of Zakynthos and Ainos National Parks and Protected Areas of the Ionian Islands, Zakynthos, Greece
| | - Vera Köpsel
- Institut für Marine Ökosystem- und Fischereiwissenschaften (IMF), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Myron A Peck
- Department of Coastal Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Den Burg, (Texel), Netherlands
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7
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Laloë JO, Hays GC. Can a present-day thermal niche be preserved in a warming climate by a shift in phenology? A case study with sea turtles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221002. [PMID: 36778962 PMCID: PMC9905989 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
How species respond to climate change may impact their extinction probability. Here we link climatology and ecology to tackle a globally important conservation question. For sea turtles, there are concerns that climate warming will cause both the feminization of populations as well as reduced hatchling survival. For 58 nesting sites across the world spanning all seven sea turtle species, we investigated whether warming might be avoided by shifts in nesting phenology to a cooler part of the year. We show that even with the most extreme phenological shift that has been reported to date-an 18-day advance in nesting per °C increase in sea surface temperature (SST)-temperatures will continue to increase at nesting sites with climate warming. We estimate that SST at nesting sites will rise by an average of 0.6°C (standard deviation = 0.9°C, n = 58) when we model a 1.5°C rise in SST combined with a best-case-scenario shift in nesting. Since sea turtles exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination, these temperature rises could lead to increasingly female-biased sex ratios as well as reduced hatchling production at sites across the world. These findings underscore concerns for the long-term survival of this iconic group.
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8
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Margaritoulis D, Lourenço G, Riggall TE, Rees AF. Thirty-Eight Years of Loggerhead Turtle Nesting in Laganas Bay, Zakynthos, Greece: A Review. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1531.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitris Margaritoulis
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, GR-10432 Athens, Greece [; ; ; ]
| | - Gonçalo Lourenço
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, GR-10432 Athens, Greece [; ; ; ]
| | - Thomas E. Riggall
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, GR-10432 Athens, Greece [; ; ; ]
| | - Alan F. Rees
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, GR-10432 Athens, Greece [; ; ; ]
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9
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López-Castro MC, Cuevas E, Guzmán Hernández V, Raymundo Sánchez Á, Martínez-Portugal RC, Reyes DJL, Chio JÁB. Trends in Reproductive Indicators of Green and Hawksbill Sea Turtles over a 30-Year Monitoring Period in the Southern Gulf of Mexico and Their Conservation Implications. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233280. [PMID: 36496800 PMCID: PMC9739169 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term monitoring programs of species at risk are efficacious tools to assess population changes, evaluate conservation strategies, and improve management practices to ensure populations reach levels at which they can fulfill their ecological roles. For sea turtles, annual nesting beach surveys are the most accessible method to estimating the population abundance and reproductive output, especially when these are done in primary nesting sites. However, little data exist on the long-term assessment of these parameters. Here, we present the trends of the nest abundance, female size, hatching, and emergence success of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and green (Chelonia mydas) turtles at key nesting beaches in the southern Gulf of Mexico over 31 years (from 1990 to 2021). The nest abundance showed an increasing trend in both species as a result of the sustained protection and conservation effort, but there was no significant temporal trend in the annual female size, clutch size, hatching, and emergence success. However, these indicators showed decreasing mean values over the last decade and should be closely monitored. We suggest these decreases link to the combined effects of ocean warming and anthropogenic pressures affecting the sea turtle foraging grounds. Aside from protecting key nesting sites, protecting and restoring crucial foraging habitats should be an immediate priority requiring international cooperation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania C. López-Castro
- Pronatura Península de Yucatán, A.C., Programa para la Conservación de la Tortuga Marina, Merida 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Eduardo Cuevas
- Departamento de Recursos del Mar, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología—Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional Unidad Mérida, Merida 97310, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Vicente Guzmán Hernández
- Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Área de Protección de Flora y Fauna Laguna de Términos, Ciudad del Carmen 24129, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Ángeles Raymundo Sánchez
- Département des Sciences du Bois et de la Forêt, Faculté de Foresterie et de Géomatique, Université Laval, Quebec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Rosa C. Martínez-Portugal
- Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano, Veracruz 91919, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Diana J. Lira Reyes
- Pronatura Península de Yucatán, A.C., Programa para la Conservación de la Tortuga Marina, Merida 97205, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Jorge Ángel Berzunza Chio
- Secretaría de Medio Ambiente, Biodiversidad, Cambio Climático y Energía de Campeche, Subdirección de Vida Silvestre, San Francisco de Campeche 24095, Campeche, Mexico
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10
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Simoncini MS, de Sousa HC, Gonçalves Portelinha TC, Falcon GB, Collicchio E, Machado Balestra RA, Ferreira Luz VL, Colli GR, Malvasio A. Hydrological Effects on the Reproduction of the Giant South American River Turtle Podocnemis expansa (Testudines: Podocnemididae). ICHTHYOLOGY & HERPETOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1643/h2020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Melina S. Simoncini
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins–UFT, Quadra 109 Norte Av. NS-15, ALCNO-14, Plano Diretor Norte, CEP: 77001-090, Palmas, Tocantins, Brasil; (MSS)
| | - Heitor Campos de Sousa
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins–UFT, Quadra 109 Norte Av. NS-15, ALCNO-14, Plano Diretor Norte, CEP: 77001-090, Palmas, Tocantins, Brasil; (MSS)
| | - Thiago Costa Gonçalves Portelinha
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins–UFT, Quadra 109 Norte Av. NS-15, ALCNO-14, Plano Diretor Norte, CEP: 77001-090, Palmas, Tocantins, Brasil; (MSS)
| | - Guth Berger Falcon
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Diretoria de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Quadra EQSW 103/104, CEP: 70670-350, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil
| | - Erich Collicchio
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins–UFT, Quadra 109 Norte Av. NS-15, ALCNO-14, Plano Diretor Norte, CEP: 77001-090, Palmas, Tocantins, Brasil; (MSS)
| | - Rafael A. Machado Balestra
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Répteis e Anfíbios, Rua 229, N° 95, 3° Andar, CEP: 74605090, Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil
| | - Vera L. Ferreira Luz
- Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Répteis e Anfíbios, Rua 229, N° 95, 3° Andar, CEP: 74605090, Goiânia, Goiás, Brasil
| | - Guarino Rinaldi Colli
- Universidade de Brasília–UnB, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Avenida L4 Norte, Asa Norte, CEP: 70910-900, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil
| | - Adriana Malvasio
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins–UFT, Quadra 109 Norte Av. NS-15, ALCNO-14, Plano Diretor Norte, CEP: 77001-090, Palmas, Tocantins, Brasil; (MSS)
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11
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Evans S, Schulze MJ, Dunlop S, Dunlop B, McClelland J, Hodgkiss R, Brown M. Investigating the effectiveness of a well‐managed hatchery as a tool for hawksbill sea turtle (
Eretmochelys imbricata
) conservation. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Sean Evans
- C/O Cousine Island Company Limited Cousine Island Providence Mahe Seychelles
| | | | - Stuart Dunlop
- C/O Cousine Island Company Limited Cousine Island Providence Mahe Seychelles
| | - Bronwyn Dunlop
- C/O Cousine Island Company Limited Cousine Island Providence Mahe Seychelles
| | - James McClelland
- C/O Cousine Island Company Limited Cousine Island Providence Mahe Seychelles
| | - Rebecca Hodgkiss
- C/O Cousine Island Company Limited Cousine Island Providence Mahe Seychelles
| | - Mark Brown
- School of Life Sciences University of KwaZulu‐Natal University Road Pietermaritzburg KwaZulu‐Natal South Africa
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12
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Hounslow JL, Fossette S, Byrnes EE, Whiting SD, Lambourne RN, Armstrong NJ, Tucker AD, Richardson AR, Gleiss AC. Multivariate analysis of biologging data reveals the environmental determinants of diving behaviour in a marine reptile. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211860. [PMID: 35958091 PMCID: PMC9364005 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Diving behaviour of 'surfacers' such as sea snakes, cetaceans and turtles is complex and multi-dimensional, thus may be better captured by multi-sensor biologging data. However, analysing these large multi-faceted datasets remains challenging, though a high priority. We used high-resolution multi-sensor biologging data to provide the first detailed description of the environmental influences on flatback turtle (Natator depressus) diving behaviour, during its foraging life-history stage. We developed an analytical method to investigate seasonal, diel and tidal effects on diving behaviour for 24 adult flatback turtles tagged with biologgers. We extracted 16 dive variables associated with three-dimensional and kinematic characteristics for 4128 dives. K-means and hierarchical cluster analyses failed to identify distinct dive types. Instead, principal component analysis objectively condensed the dive variables, removing collinearity and highlighting the main features of diving behaviour. Generalized additive mixed models of the main principal components identified significant seasonal, diel and tidal effects on flatback turtle diving behaviour. Flatback turtles altered their diving behaviour in response to extreme tidal and water temperature ranges, displaying thermoregulation and predator avoidance strategies while likely optimizing foraging in this challenging environment. This study demonstrates an alternative statistical technique for objectively interpreting diving behaviour from multivariate collinear data derived from biologgers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna L. Hounslow
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Sabrina Fossette
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Evan E. Byrnes
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Faculty of Science, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Scott D. Whiting
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Renae N. Lambourne
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Nicola J. Armstrong
- School of Electrical Engineering, Computing and Mathematical Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anton D. Tucker
- Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Anthony R. Richardson
- Parks and Wildlife Service, West Kimberley District, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Broome, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Adrian C. Gleiss
- Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
- Environmental and Conservation Science, Murdoch University, Western Australia, Australia
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13
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Patino-Martinez J, Veiga J, Afonso IO, Yeoman K, Mangas-Viñuela J, Charles G. Light Sandy Beaches Favour Hatching Success and Best Hatchling Phenotype of Loggerhead Turtles. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.823118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We conducted a 5-year field (2017–2021) and laboratory study of the relationship between type of substrate and hatching success, embryonic development, and the quality of hatchlings in loggerhead turtle nests. Our study site, the island of Maio in the archipelago of Cabo Verde, one of the world’s largest loggerhead turtle nesting colonies, displays marked heterogeneity of sand colouration, with dark, mixed, and light sandy beaches. We experimentally incubated eggs, comparing different nesting substrates under standard temperature and humidity conditions. Females nest in all sand types without preference. However, both the field and experimental study revealed a significant difference in hatching success depending on the type of substrate. Substrate of volcanic origin, dark in colour, with a lower amount of calcium carbonate, had a lower hatching success (HS; 30.3 ± 20.2%) compared to substrates of mixed (HS = 46.1 ± 26.5%) or light (HS = 78.1 ± 18.2%) colour. Eggs experimentally incubated in substrate that was light-coloured, with a larger grain size and higher calcium carbonate concentration, produced significantly more and larger offspring. Incubation temperatures were significantly higher in dark substrate, which partially explains the lower hatching success in this type of sand. However, experimental incubation with controlled temperatures consistently showed lower hatching success in dark sand. Thus, we found that not only the temperature, but also the specific characteristics of each substrate determine hatching success. The main predator of eggs and hatchlings (the ghost crab Ocypode cursor) showed no significant differences in abundance or size between different substrate types. Our results indicate that nest site selection between beaches or even within the same beach with different substrate conditions affects hatching success, hatchling physical condition, and subsequently the reproductive success of each female. The results of this study can inform conservation programmes with nest management and controlled incubation in the field and optimise adaptive nest management under future scenarios of rising global temperatures.
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14
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Escobedo-Bonilla CM, Quiros-Rojas NM, Rudín-Salazar E. Rehabilitation of Marine Turtles and Welfare Improvement by Application of Environmental Enrichment Strategies. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030282. [PMID: 35158606 PMCID: PMC8833317 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sea turtles are vital members of the marine ecosystem since they contribute to keeping balance in such environments. Unfortunately, they are endangered species whose absence may be detrimental. Conservation efforts aim to preserve sea turtles both at the population and individual levels. Rescue and rehabilitation aim to reduce individual morbidity and mortality as a result of injuries mainly caused by interactions with humans, in order to preserve their genetic diversity and help maintain and/or increase their population size. Environmental enrichment (EE) is a set of methodologies aimed to improve animal welfare during captivity/rehabilitation. This review presents successful cases of sea turtle environmental enrichment and its applications to improve their welfare in captivity and to increase their fitness prior to release into the wild. EE is a valuable tool that enhances welfare during the captivity and/or rehabilitation of sea turtles and improves their chances of survival and reintegration back into wild populations upon release. EE may be adopted in rescue and rehabilitation facilities around the world to improve individual survival and help boost conservation efforts. Abstract Sea turtles perform various ecological services in several marine environments and are considered architects of the marine landscape. At present, they are endangered species due to anthropogenic threats, pollution and degradation of marine habitats. These impacts make it urgent to increase protection and conservation efforts. Protective actions include the rescue and rehabilitation of injured individuals as a result of their interactions with humans and other threats. Environmental enrichment (EE) is a series of techniques and methods aimed to improve the welfare of animals in captivity and/or under rehabilitation. It uses external stimuli to enhance their psychological and physiological wellbeing to promote natural abilities and behaviors. These may increase the survival chances of rehabilitated animals upon release in the wild. This review presents data of studies where EE has been applied during the rehabilitation processes of different species of sea turtles, and its effect on welfare improvement during captivity/rehabilitation and on survival after release into nature. Technologies such as satellite tags are an important means to determine rehabilitation success and survival of injured individuals from endangered species after release into the wild, as they allow tracking and monitoring of such individuals, and determine their location in areas used by their natural populations for feeding or breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar Marcial Escobedo-Bonilla
- Laboratory of Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Department of Aquaculture, CIIDIR-Sinaloa, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guasave C.P. 81101, Mexico
- Correspondence:
| | - Noelia Maria Quiros-Rojas
- Escuela de Medicina y Cirugia Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Sede Atenas, Universidad Tecnica Nacional, Atenas C.P. 20501, Costa Rica;
| | - Esteban Rudín-Salazar
- Centro de Rescate y Rehabilitacion de Animales Marinos (CRRAM), Parque Marino del Pacífico, Puntarenas C.P. 60101, Costa Rica;
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15
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Shift in demographic structure and increased reproductive activity of loggerhead turtles in the French Mediterranean Sea revealed by long-term monitoring. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23164. [PMID: 34848795 PMCID: PMC8633381 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02629-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate-induced environmental changes are profoundly impacting marine ecosystems and altering species distribution worldwide. Migratory organisms, including sea turtles, are expected to be particularly sensitive to these variations. Here, we studied changes in the size structure and reproductive activity of loggerhead turtles in the French Mediterranean over 30 years. Overall, there was a significant increase in the size of observed loggerheads between 1990 and 2020. However, this increase was only significant during the breeding/nesting season (May to September) and was driven by the increased presence of adults. Furthermore, nesting activity along the French coast was detected in 2002 for the first time in more than 50 years, and has become frequent after 2014, with nests discovered every year. The number of eggs laid as well as incubation duration and success varied among sites but fell within the range reported at established Mediterranean nesting sites. These observations, along with recent reports of breeding activity and evidence of significant sea surface warming, suggest that the north-western Mediterranean basin has become increasingly suitable to loggerhead turtles. We postulate that this range expansion is the result of climate change and propose that emerging nesting activity in France should be closely monitored and guarded against human activities.
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16
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Porter E, Booth DT, Limpus CJ, Staines MN, Smith CE. Influence of short-term temperature drops on sex-determination in sea turtles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2021; 335:649-658. [PMID: 34313387 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
All sea turtles exhibit temperature-dependent sex-determination, where warmer temperatures produce mostly females and cooler temperatures produce mostly males. As global temperatures continue to rise, sea turtle sex-ratios are expected to become increasingly female-biased, threatening the long-term viability of many populations. Nest temperatures are dependent on sand temperature, and heavy rainfall events reduce sand temperatures for a brief period. However, it is unknown whether these short-term temperature drops are large and long enough to produce male hatchlings. To discover if short-term temperature drops within the sex-determining period can lead to male hatchling production, we exposed green and loggerhead turtle eggs to short-term temperature drops conducted in constant temperature rooms. We dropped incubation temperature at four different times during the sex-determining period for a duration of either 3 or 7 days to mimic short-term drops in temperature caused by heavy rainfall in nature. Some male hatchlings were produced when exposed to temperature drops for as little as 3 days, but the majority of male production occurred when eggs were exposed to 7 days of lowered temperature. More male hatchlings were produced when the temperature drop occurred during the middle of the sex-determining period in green turtles, and the beginning and end of the sex-determining period in loggerhead turtles. Inter-clutch variation was evident in the proportion of male hatchlings produced, indicating that maternal and or genetic factors influence male hatchling production. Our findings have management implications for the long-term preservation of sea turtles on beaches that exhibit strongly female-biased hatchling sex-ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Porter
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David T Booth
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Colin J Limpus
- Queensland Government Department of Science and Environment, Aquatic Threatened Species Unit, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Melissa N Staines
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Caitlin E Smith
- Brisbane Office, World Wildlife Fund Australia, Brisbane, Australia
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17
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Hays GC, Chivers WJ, Laloë JO, Sheppard C, Esteban N. Impact of marine heatwaves for sea turtle nest temperatures. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210038. [PMID: 33975488 PMCID: PMC8113898 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
There are major concerns about the ecological impact of extreme weather events. In the oceans, marine heatwaves (MHWs) are an increasing threat causing, for example, recent devastation to coral reefs around the world. We show that these impacts extend to adjacent terrestrial systems and could negatively affect the breeding of endangered species. We demonstrate that during an MHW that resulted in major coral bleaching and mortality in a large, remote marine protected area, anomalously warm temperatures also occurred on sea turtle nesting beaches. Granger causality testing showed that variations in sea surface temperature strongly influenced sand temperatures on beaches. We estimate that the warm conditions on both coral reefs and sandy beaches during the MHW were unprecedented in the last 70 years. Model predictions suggest that the most extreme female-biased hatchling sex ratio and the lowest hatchling survival in nests in the last 70 years both occurred during the heatwave. Our work shows that predicted increases in the frequency and intensity of MHWs will likely have growing impacts on sea turtle nesting beaches as well as other terrestrial coastal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William J. Chivers
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | | | - Charles Sheppard
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
- School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge LL59 5AB, UK
| | - Nicole Esteban
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
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18
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Patrício AR, Hawkes LA, Monsinjon JR, Godley BJ, Fuentes MMPB. Climate change and marine turtles: recent advances and future directions. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is a threat to marine turtles that is expected to affect all of their life stages. To guide future research, we conducted a review of the most recent literature on this topic, highlighting knowledge gains and research gaps since a similar previous review in 2009. Most research has been focussed on the terrestrial life history phase, where expected impacts will range from habitat loss and decreased reproductive success to feminization of populations, but changes in reproductive periodicity, shifts in latitudinal ranges, and changes in foraging success are all expected in the marine life history phase. Models have been proposed to improve estimates of primary sex ratios, while technological advances promise a better understanding of how climate can influence different life stages and habitats. We suggest a number of research priorities for an improved understanding of how climate change may impact marine turtles, including: improved estimates of primary sex ratios, assessments of the implications of female-biased sex ratios and reduced male production, assessments of the variability in upper thermal limits of clutches, models of beach sediment movement under sea level rise, and assessments of impacts on foraging grounds. Lastly, we suggest that it is not yet possible to recommend manipulating aspects of turtle nesting ecology, as the evidence base with which to understand the results of such interventions is not robust enough, but that strategies for mitigation of stressors should be helpful, providing they consider the synergistic effects of climate change and other anthropogenic-induced threats to marine turtles, and focus on increasing resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- AR Patrício
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - LA Hawkes
- Hatherley Laboratories, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
| | - JR Monsinjon
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6139, South Africa
| | - BJ Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - MMPB Fuentes
- Marine Turtle Research, Ecology and Conservation Group, Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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19
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Clarke LJ, Elliot RL, Abella‐Perez E, Jenkins SR, Marco A, Martins S, Hawkes LA. Low‐cost tools mitigate climate change during reproduction in an endangered marine ectotherm. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leo J. Clarke
- School of Ocean Sciences Bangor University Anglesey UK
| | | | - Elena Abella‐Perez
- Estacion Biologica de Donana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
- BIOS.CVSal Rei Boavista Republic of Cape Verde
| | | | - Adolfo Marco
- Estacion Biologica de Donana (CSIC) Sevilla Spain
| | | | - Lucy A. Hawkes
- Hatherley Laboratories College of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Exeter UK
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Abstract
ABSTRACT
The media can be key in informing individuals around topics not easily observable, such as remote environmental issues and wildlife. Sea turtles are enigmatic animals that attract public attention, but they have faced severe population declines worldwide. Assessing how the news reports on sea turtle conservation is critical in evaluating how a concerned layperson may perceive threats affecting these animals and can provide insights on how experts can better engage with the media. We collected online articles about sea turtles from 2003 to 2019, recording the frequency by which various threats were mentioned as hazardous to sea turtles, the types of solutions noted in response to these threats, and common quoted messengers. We found that the media disproportionately reports on the threats of pollution and resource use. Importantly, this may not align with scientific consensus of top conservation concerns for these animals and can be problematic if it leads to a misinformed public.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca S Santos
- Emmett Interdisciplinary Program, Environment and Resources, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
| | - Larry B Crowder
- Marine Ecology and Conservation at Hopkins Marine Station and a senior fellow, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, both part of Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States
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21
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Limpus CJ, Miller JD, Pfaller JB. Flooding-induced mortality of loggerhead sea turtle eggs. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr20080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
ContextMarine turtle eggs incubate in dynamic beaches, where they are vulnerable to both saltwater and freshwater flooding. Understanding the capacity for marine turtle eggs to tolerate flooding will aid management efforts to predict and mitigate the impacts of climate change, including sea-level rise and increases in coastal flooding.
AimsEvaluate the interactive effects of flooding duration and incubation stage on the hatching success of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) eggs.
MethodsGroups of 20 eggs from multiple clutches were incubated in plastic containers in a beach hatchery. Eggs at six stages of incubation (0, 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 weeks post-oviposition) were excavated from the hatchery and exposed to saltwater or freshwater flooding for seven durations of time (0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 24 or 48h). Containers of eggs were either submerged in a bucket of water or left outside of the bucket (control; no flooding) for their designated duration, allowed to drain, then reburied in the hatchery. Following hatchling emergence, the hatching success of each group of eggs was evaluated.
Key resultsFreshly laid eggs and eggs on the verge of hatching exposed to any flooding and all eggs exposed to extended periods of flooding (24 and 48h) suffered complete mortality. Eggs at 20–80% development exposed to short periods of flooding (1–6h) maintained high hatching success that was statistically equivalent to control eggs, while eggs at <20% and >80% development exhibited significant decreases in hatching success.
ConclusionsMarine turtle eggs in the middle of incubation can tolerate saltwater and freshwater flooding for up to 6h. Outside of this period or when flooding is longer, disruption of gas concentrations and osmotic gradients in the egg chamber can lead to embryonic mortality. These findings have reinforced concerns regarding the capacity for marine turtle populations to continue to function as rising sea levels and increases in coastal flooding alter the hydrology of nesting beaches.
ImplicationsAs current and predicted climate change threatens the suitability of the incubation environment used by marine turtles, corrective actions to maximise hatching success need to be taken before the eggs are flooded.
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22
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Siqueira-Silva IS, Arantes MO, Hackradt CW, Schiavetti A. Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting nesting site selection by sea turtles. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 162:105090. [PMID: 32836012 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.105090] [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: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 07/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the environmental and anthropogenic factors that affect nesting site selection by sea turtles is key to maintaining priority conservation areas. The species Lepidochelys olivacea, Caretta caretta, and Eretmochelys imbricata nest annually on the island of Comandatuba (Una, northeastern Brazil), where this survey was conducted. We evaluated the temporal and spatial distribution of nests during the seasons 2008/2009 to 2014/2015 and 2017/2018. In the last season, we further examined the environmental and anthropogenic factors that influence different nesting performances. We selected six sample areas with different nesting events (high, medium, and low), and recorded the following characteristics: beach slope, sediment grain size, vegetation richness, type of dune, anthropization, and final nest condition. A significant occurrence of nesting was observed in November and December . The spatial distribution of the nests varied over the seasons, with a greater tendency to nest in the south of the island. Higher frequency of anthropization and low slope of the beach were significant factors for areas with a smaller number of nests. Predation of turtle nests may be associated with areas of greater anthropization. Our findings have implications for the conservation and monitoring of nesting sites during reproduction seasons and provide further insight into the nesting dynamics of marginal sea turtle populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inaiara Sousa Siqueira-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Aquáticos Tropicais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16 - Salobrinho, Ilhéus, BA, CEP: 45662-900, Brazil; Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab, Centre for Environmental Science, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Rodovia Joel Maers s/n, km 10. Porto Seguro, BA, CEP: 45810-000, Brazil.
| | | | - Carlos Werner Hackradt
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Aquáticos Tropicais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16 - Salobrinho, Ilhéus, BA, CEP: 45662-900, Brazil; Marine Ecology and Conservation Lab, Centre for Environmental Science, Universidade Federal do Sul da Bahia, Rodovia Joel Maers s/n, km 10. Porto Seguro, BA, CEP: 45810-000, Brazil.
| | - Alexandre Schiavetti
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas Aquáticos Tropicais, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16 - Salobrinho, Ilhéus, BA, CEP: 45662-900, Brazil; Laboratório de Etnoconservação e Áreas Protegidas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, km 16 - Salobrinho, Ilhéus, BA, CEP: 45662-900, Brazil; Investigador Asociado CESIMAR/CENPAT, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
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23
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Stubbs JL, Marn N, Vanderklift MA, Fossette S, Mitchell NJ. Simulated growth and reproduction of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) under climate change and marine heatwave scenarios. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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24
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Veelenturf CA, Sinclair EM, Paladino FV, Honarvar S. Predicting the impacts of sea level rise in sea turtle nesting habitat on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0222251. [PMID: 32726310 PMCID: PMC7390326 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea level is expected to rise 44 to 74 cm by the year 2100, which may have critical, previously un-investigated implications for sea turtle nesting habitat on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea. This study investigates how nesting habitat will likely be lost and altered with various increases in sea level, using global sea level rise (SLR) predictions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Beach profiling datasets from Bioko's five southern nesting beaches were used in GIS to create models to estimate habitat loss with predicted increases in sea level by years 2046-2065 and 2081-2100. The models indicate that an average of 62% of Bioko's current nesting habitat could be lost by 2046-2065 and 87% by the years 2081-2100. Our results show that different study beaches showed different levels of vulnerability to increases in SLR. In addition, on two beaches erosion and tall vegetation berms have been documented, causing green turtles to nest uncharacteristically in front of the vegetation line. We also report that development plans are currently underway on the beach least susceptible to future increases in sea level, highlighting how anthropogenic encroachment combined with SLR can be particularly detrimental to nesting turtle populations. Identified habitat sensitivities to SLR will be used to inform the government of Equatorial Guinea to consider the vulnerability of their resident turtle populations and projected climate change implications when planning for future development. To our knowledge this is the first study to predict the impacts of SLR on a sea turtle nesting habitat in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callie A Veelenturf
- Biology Department, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America.,Bioko Marine Turtle Program, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
| | - Elizabeth M Sinclair
- Biology Department, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America.,Bioko Marine Turtle Program, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
| | - Frank V Paladino
- Biology Department, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America.,Bioko Marine Turtle Program, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
| | - Shaya Honarvar
- Biology Department, Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, IN, United States of America.,Bioko Marine Turtle Program, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.,School of Life Sciences, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States of America
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Blechschmidt J, Wittmann MJ, Blüml C. Climate Change and Green Sea Turtle Sex Ratio-Preventing Possible Extinction. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11050588. [PMID: 32466335 PMCID: PMC7288305 DOI: 10.3390/genes11050588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change poses a threat to species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). A recent study on green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) at the northern Great Barrier Reef (GBR) showed a highly female-skewed sex ratio with almost all juvenile turtles being female. This shortage of males might eventually cause population extinction, unless rapid evolutionary rescue, migration, range shifts, or conservation efforts ensure a sufficient number of males. We built a stochastic individual-based model inspired by C. mydas but potentially transferrable to other species with TSD. Pivotal temperature, nest depth, and shading were evolvable traits. Additionally, we considered the effect of crossbreeding between northern and southern GBR, nest site philopatry, and conservation efforts. Among the evolvable traits, nest depth was the most likely to rescue the population, but even here the warmer climate change scenarios led to extinction. We expected turtles to choose colder beaches under rising temperatures, but surprisingly, nest site philopatry did not improve persistence. Conservation efforts promoted population survival and did not preclude trait evolution. Although extra information is needed to make reliable predictions for the fate of green sea turtles, our results illustrate how evolution can shape the fate of long lived, vulnerable species in the face of climate change.
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Schofield G, Klaassen M, Papafitsoros K, Lilley MKS, Katselidis KA, Hays GC. Long-term photo-id and satellite tracking reveal sex-biased survival linked to movements in an endangered species. Ecology 2020; 101:e03027. [PMID: 32096220 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Sex-biased survival linked to anthropogenic threats places populations at risk. We show the utility of long-term multidecadal photo-identification (photo-id) combined with long-term high-resolution (Fastloc-GPS) satellite telemetry to investigate the links between mortality rates and patterns of movement for a wide-ranging, endangered marine vertebrate. Using a photo-identification database of 947 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) compiled over 18 yr, we estimated greater annual survival rates of females (0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.87-0.90) compared to males (0.73; 95% CI 0.67-0.78). For males satellite-tracked across multiple breeding seasons, 100% (26 of 26) returned to the same breeding site, suggesting the calculated lower male survival rate was likely not due to emigration to breed elsewhere. 10,111 and 2,524 tracking days for males (n = 39 individuals) and females (n = 18 individuals), respectively, revealed different habitat-use patterns outside the breeding season: males tended to occupy foraging sites closer to shore and closer to breeding sites but, due to their generally annual breeding, compared to biennial breeding for females, males migrated further per year on average. These differences in movement patterns likely contribute to higher mortality in males through increased interaction with anthropogenic threats. Long-term identification coupled with tracking offers great promise for estimating the survival rates of other wide-ranging species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail Schofield
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3280, Australia
| | - Kostas Papafitsoros
- Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics, Mohrenstrasse 39, 10117, Berlin, Germany.,ARCHELON, The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, GR-10432, Athens, Greece
| | - Martin K S Lilley
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Geoffrey Pope Building, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QD, UK
| | - Kostas A Katselidis
- National Marine Park of Zakynthos, 1 Eleftheriou Venizelou Street GR29100, Zakynthos, Greece
| | - Graeme C Hays
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, 3280, Australia
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Lolavar A, Wyneken J. The impact of sand moisture on the temperature-sex ratio responses of developing loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles. ZOOLOGY 2019; 138:125739. [PMID: 31954221 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2019.125739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
All species of sea turtles exhibit a cooler male/warmer female temperature-sex ratio response. Field and experimental studies on loggerhead sea turtle sex ratios suggest that increased sand moisture impacts sea turtle sex ratios with, and perhaps beyond, a cooling effect. This study examines how varying sand moisture impacts the embryo's response to temperature. Across three years, loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtle eggs were incubated at temperatures ranging from 28.0°C to 33.0°C. Groups of eggs were incubated in one of three volumetric moisture contents: low, medium, or high. Temperatures inside the group of eggs were recorded throughout incubation. Hatchlings were raised for 2-3 months and sex was identified laparoscopically. We calculated temperature response curves for groups of eggs incubated at each moisture level. Pivotal temperatures did not different among eggs incubated in different sand moistures. The transitional ranges of temperatures (TRT) for eggs incubated in high moisture and low moisture were narrower than the TRT for eggs incubated in medium moisture. The results of this study are crucial for understanding how sea turtle embryos respond to temperature directly or indirectly under different moisture conditions. Current sex ratio predictions rely on the embryos response to temperature only and may inaccurately estimate sex ratios especially during periods of heavy rainfall or drought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lolavar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991, USA.
| | - Jeanette Wyneken
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991, USA.
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28
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Bevan EM, Wibbels T, Shaver D, Walker JS, Illescas F, Montano J, Ortiz J, Peña JJ, Sarti L, Najera BMZ, Burchfield P. Comparison of beach temperatures in the nesting range of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico and USA. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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29
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Abstract
Climate change is occurring at an unprecedented rate and has begun to modify the distribution and phenology of organisms worldwide. Chelonians are expected to be particularly vulnerable due to limited dispersal capabilities as well as widespread temperature-dependent sex determination. The number of papers published about the effects of climate change on turtles has increased exponentially over the last decade; here, I review the data from peer-reviewed publications to assess the likely impacts of climate change on individuals, populations, and communities. Based upon these studies future research should focus on: (1) Individual responses to climate change, particularly with respect to thermal biology, phenology, and microhabitat selection; (2) improving species distribution models by incorporating fine-scale environmental variables as well as physiological processes; (3) identifying the consequences of skewed sex ratios; and (4) assessments of community resilience and the development of methods to mitigate climate change impacts. Although detailed management recommendations are not possible at this point, careful consideration should be given regarding how to manage low vagility species as habitats shift poleward. In the worst-case scenario, proactive management may be required in order to ensure that widespread losses do not occur.
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Staines MN, Booth DT, Limpus CJ. Microclimatic effects on the incubation success, hatchling morphology and locomotor performance of marine turtles. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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31
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Varela MR, Patrício AR, Anderson K, Broderick AC, DeBell L, Hawkes LA, Tilley D, Snape RTE, Westoby MJ, Godley BJ. Assessing climate change associated sea-level rise impacts on sea turtle nesting beaches using drones, photogrammetry and a novel GPS system. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:753-762. [PMID: 30430701 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Climate change associated sea-level rise (SLR) is expected to have profound impacts on coastal areas, affecting many species, including sea turtles which depend on these habitats for egg incubation. Being able to accurately model beach topography using digital terrain models (DTMs) is therefore crucial to project SLR impacts and develop effective conservation strategies. Traditional survey methods are typically low-cost with low accuracy or high-cost with high accuracy. We present a novel combination of drone-based photogrammetry and a low-cost and portable real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS to create DTMs which are highly accurate (<10 cm error) and visually realistic. This methodology is ideal for surveying coastal sites, can be broadly applied to other species and habitats, and is a relevant tool in supporting the development of Specially Protected Areas. Here, we applied this method as a case-study to project three SLR scenarios (0.48, 0.63 and 1.20 m) and assess the future vulnerability and viability of a key nesting habitat for sympatric loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas) at a key rookery in the Mediterranean. We combined the DTM with 5 years of nest survey data describing location and clutch depth, to identify (a) regions with highest nest densities, (b) nest elevation by species and beach, and (c) estimated proportion of nests inundated under each SLR scenario. On average, green turtles nested at higher elevations than loggerheads (1.8 m vs. 1.32 m, respectively). However, because green turtles dig deeper nests than loggerheads (0.76 m vs. 0.50 m, respectively), these were at similar risk of inundation. For a SLR of 1.2 m, we estimated a loss of 67.3% for loggerhead turtle nests and 59.1% for green turtle nests. Existing natural and artificial barriers may affect the ability of these nesting habitats to remain suitable for nesting through beach migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel R Varela
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Ana R Patrício
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA- Instituto Universitário, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Karen Anderson
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | | | - Leon DeBell
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lucy A Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Dominic Tilley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Robin T E Snape
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Society for Protection of Turtles, Girne, Turkey
| | - Matthew J Westoby
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Brendan J Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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Liles MJ, Peterson TR, Seminoff JA, Gaos AR, Altamirano E, Henríquez AV, Gadea V, Chavarría S, Urteaga J, Wallace BP, Peterson MJ. Potential limitations of behavioral plasticity and the role of egg relocation in climate change mitigation for a thermally sensitive endangered species. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:1603-1622. [PMID: 30847059 PMCID: PMC6392375 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change is widely considered a major threat to global biodiversity, such that the ability of a species to adapt will determine its likelihood of survival. Egg-burying reptiles that exhibit temperature-dependent sex determination, such as critically endangered hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), are particularly vulnerable to changes in thermal regimes because nest temperatures affect offspring sex, fitness, and survival. It is unclear whether hawksbills possess sufficient behavioral plasticity of nesting traits (i.e., redistribution of nesting range, shift in nesting phenology, changes in nest-site selection, and adjustment of nest depth) to persist within their climatic niche or whether accelerated changes in thermal conditions of nesting beaches will outpace phenotypic adaption and require human intervention. For these reasons, we estimated sex ratios and physical condition of hatchling hawksbills under natural and manipulated conditions and generated and analyzed thermal profiles of hawksbill nest environments within highly threatened mangrove ecosystems at Bahía de Jiquilisco, El Salvador, and Estero Padre Ramos, Nicaragua. Hawksbill clutches protected in situ at both sites incubated at higher temperatures, yielded lower hatching success, produced a higher percentage of female hatchlings, and produced less fit offspring than clutches relocated to hatcheries. We detected cooler sand temperatures in woody vegetation (i.e., coastal forest and small-scale plantations of fruit trees) and hatcheries than in other monitored nest environments, with higher temperatures at the deeper depth. Our findings indicate that mangrove ecosystems present a number of biophysical (e.g., insular nesting beaches and shallow water table) and human-induced (e.g., physical barriers and deforestation) constraints that, when coupled with the unique life history of hawksbills in this region, may limit behavioral compensatory responses by the species to projected temperature increases at nesting beaches. We contend that egg relocation can contribute significantly to recovery efforts in a changing climate under appropriate circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Liles
- Asociación ProCostaSan SalvadorEl Salvador
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Tarla Rai Peterson
- Department of Communication, Environmental Science and Engineering ProgramUniversity of Texas at El PasoEl PasoTexas
| | - Jeffrey A. Seminoff
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – National Marine Fisheries ServiceSouthwest Fisheries Science CenterLa JollaCalifornia
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Alexander R. Gaos
- Department of BiologySan Diego State UniversitySan DiegoCalifornia
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Eduardo Altamirano
- Fauna and Flora InternationalManaguaNicaragua
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Ana V. Henríquez
- Asociación ProCostaSan SalvadorEl Salvador
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Velkiss Gadea
- Fauna and Flora InternationalManaguaNicaragua
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Sofía Chavarría
- Asociación ProCostaSan SalvadorEl Salvador
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - José Urteaga
- School of Earth, Energy & Environmental SciencesStanford UniversityStanfordCalifornia
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Bryan P. Wallace
- Conservation Science Partners, Inc.Fort CollinsColorado
- Nicholas School of the EnvironmentDuke University Marine LabBeaufortNorth Carolina
- Eastern Pacific Hawksbill InitiativeSan DiegoCalifornia
| | - Markus J. Peterson
- Department of Biological SciencesUniversity of Texas at El PasoEl PasoTexas
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Massey MD, Holt SM, Brooks RJ, Rollinson N. Measurement and modelling of primary sex ratios for species with temperature-dependent sex determination. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.190215. [PMID: 30352829 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.190215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
For many oviparous animals, incubation temperature influences sex through temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Although climate change may skew sex ratios in species with TSD, few available methods predict sex under natural conditions, fewer still are based on mechanistic hypotheses of development, and field tests of existing methods are rare. We propose a new approach that calculates the probability of masculinization (PM) in natural nests. This approach subsumes the mechanistic hypotheses describing the outcome of TSD, by integrating embryonic development with the temperature-dependent reaction norm for sex determination. Further, we modify a commonly used method of sex ratio estimation, the constant temperature equivalent (CTE), to provide quantitative estimates of sex ratios. We test our new approaches using snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina). We experimentally manipulated nests in the field, and found that the PM method is better supported than the modified CTE, explaining 69% of the variation in sex ratios across 27 semi-natural nests. Next, we used the PM method to predict variation in sex ratios across 14 natural nests over 2 years, explaining 67% of the variation. We suggest that the PM approach is effective and broadly applicable to species with TSD, particularly for forecasting how sex ratios may respond to climate change. Interestingly, we also found that the modified CTE explained up to 64% of variation in sex ratios in a Type II TSD species, suggesting that our modifications will be useful for future research. Finally, our data suggest that the Algonquin Park population of snapping turtles possesses resilience to biased sex ratios under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D Massey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada
| | - Sarah M Holt
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ronald J Brooks
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Njal Rollinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada.,School of the Environment, University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON M5S 3E8, Canada
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34
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Adaptive marine conservation planning in the face of climate change: What can we learn from physiological, ecological and genetic studies? Glob Ecol Conserv 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2019.e00566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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35
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Montero N, dei Marcovaldi MAG, Lopez–Mendilaharsu M, Santos AS, Santos AJB, Fuentes MMPB. Warmer and wetter conditions will reduce offspring production of hawksbill turtles in Brazil under climate change. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0204188. [PMID: 30408043 PMCID: PMC6224045 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0204188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is expected to impact animals that are heavily reliant on environmental factors, such as sea turtles, since the incubation of their eggs, hatching success and sex ratio are influenced by the environment in which eggs incubate. As climate change progresses it is therefore important to understand how climatic conditions influence their reproductive output and the ramifications to population stability. Here, we examined the influences of five climatic variables (air temperature, accumulated and average precipitation, humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed) at different temporal scales on hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) hatchling production at ten nesting beaches within two regions of Brazil (five nesting beaches in Rio Grande do Norte and five in Bahia). Air temperature and accumulated precipitation were the main climatic drivers of hawksbill hatching success (number of eggs hatched within a nest) across Brazil and in Rio Grande do Norte, while air temperature and average precipitation were the main climatic drivers of hatching success at Bahia. Solar radiation was the main climatic driver of emergence success (number of hatchlings that emerged from total hatched eggs within a nest) at both regions. Warmer temperatures and higher solar radiation had negative effects on hatchling production, while wetter conditions had a positive effect. Conservative and extreme climate scenarios show air temperatures are projected to increase at this site, while precipitation projections vary between scenarios and regions throughout the 21st century. We predicted hatching success of undisturbed nests (no recorded depredation or storm-related impacts) will decrease in Brazil by 2100 as a result of how this population is influenced by local climate. This study shows the determining effects of different climate variables and their combinations on an important and critically endangered marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Montero
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
| | | | | | | | | | - Mariana M. P. B. Fuentes
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States of America
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36
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Rafferty AR, Johnstone CP, Garner JA, Reina RD. A 20-year investigation of declining leatherback hatching success: implications of climate variation. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170196. [PMID: 29134057 PMCID: PMC5666240 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Unprecedented increases in air temperature and erratic precipitation patterns are predicted throughout the twenty-first century as a result of climate change. A recent global analysis of leatherback turtle hatchling output predicts that the nesting site at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (SPNWR) will experience the most significant regional climate alterations. We aimed to identify how local air temperatures and precipitation patterns influenced within-nest mortality and overall hatchling output at this site between 1990 and 2010. We show that while the greatest mortality occurred during the latest stages of development (stage three), the rate of embryo mortality was highest during the initial stages (stage zero) of development (approx. 3.8 embryos per day per clutch). Increased mortality at stage three was associated with decreased precipitation and increased temperature during this developmental period, whereas precipitation prior to, and during stage zero had the greatest influence on early mortality. There was a significant decline in overall hatching success (falling from 74% to 55%) and emergence rate (calculated from the number of hatchlings that emerged from the nest as a percentage of hatched eggs) which fell from 96% to 91%. However, there was no trend observed in local temperature or precipitation during this timeframe, and neither variable was related to hatching success or emergence rate. In conclusion, our findings suggest that despite influencing within-nest mortality, climatic variability does not account for the overall decline in hatchling output at SPNWR from 1990 to 2010. Further research is therefore needed to elicit the reasons for this decline.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeanne A. Garner
- West Indies Marine Animal Research and Conservation Service, Frederiksted, St Croix, US Virgin Islands
| | - Richard D. Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Lolavar A, Wyneken J. Experimental assessment of the effects of moisture on loggerhead sea turtle hatchling sex ratios. ZOOLOGY 2017; 123:64-70. [PMID: 28764866 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2017.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many reptiles have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Sex determination in marine turtles is described by a cool-male, warm-female pattern. Nest sand temperature strongly influences sea turtle embryo development and sex differentiation. Yet, variation in hatchling sex ratios is explained only partially by nest temperature and can be predicted only at the warmest and coolest temperatures. Hence, other factors during development influence sex determination. Rainfall is a common environmental variable that may impact development and sex determination. We experimentally evaluated bias in sex ratio production associated with nest moisture. Conditions tested in surrogate nests were sand moisture in combination with (i) very restricted evaporation, (ii) moderate evaporation (allowing evaporative cooling), and (iii) evaporative cooling plus cooling from rain-temperature water. We collected eggs from 32 unique loggerhead (Caretta caretta L.) turtle clutches, distributed them among the three different conditions, and incubated the eggs until they hatched. All hatchlings were raised for several months and sex was verified laparoscopically to establish sex ratios for each treatment. The nests were expected to produce 50:50 sex ratios or a moderate female bias (∼70%) based on incubation temperatures. All experimental treatments produced high male bias (87-96%). These results support the hypothesis that moisture impacts sex ratios through evaporation and rainfall-based cooling. High male bias was observed in nests with and without restricted evaporative cooling and no direct cooling due to watering as well as those nests hydrated via cool (rainwater temperature) water. High moisture conditions may produce males through thermal or other mechanisms, highlighting the importance of examining other nest environmental factors on sex determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Lolavar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991, USA.
| | - Jeanette Wyneken
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431-0991, USA
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38
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Abstract
Thermal tolerances are affected by the range of temperatures that species encounter in their habitat. Daniel Janzen hypothesized in his “Why mountain passes are higher in the tropics” that temperature gradients were effective barriers to animal movements where climatic uniformity was high. Sea turtles bury their eggs providing some thermal stability that varies with depth. We assessed the relationship between thermal uniformity and thermal tolerance in nests of three species of sea turtles. We considered that barriers were “high” when small thermal changes had comparatively large effects and “low” when the effects were small. Mean temperature was lower and fluctuated less in species that dig deeper nests. Thermal barriers were comparatively “higher” in leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nests, which were the deepest, as embryo mortality increased at lower “high” temperatures than in olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests. Sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and embryo mortality increased as temperature approached the upper end of the transitional range of temperatures (TRT) that produces both sexes (temperature producing 100% female offspring) in leatherback and olive ridley turtles. As thermal barriers are “higher” in some species than in others, the effects of climate warming on embryo mortality is likely to vary among sea turtles. Population resilience to climate warming may also depend on the balance between temperatures that produce female offspring and those that reduce embryo survival.
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Pasanisi E, Cortés-Gómez AA, Pérez-López M, Soler F, Hernández-Moreno D, Guerranti C, Martellini T, Fuentes-Mascorro G, Romero D, Cincinelli A. Levels of perfluorinated acids (PFCAs) in different tissues of Lepidochelys olivacea sea turtles from the Escobilla beach (Oaxaca, Mexico). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 572:1059-1065. [PMID: 27522287 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Lepidochelys olivacea is the most abundant and globally distributed sea turtle species in the world and thus, monitoring this species for persistent organic pollutants, such as perfluorinated chemicals, is fundamental for their protection. This study was the first to evaluate the occurrence of five PFCAs (PFOA, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnA, PFDoA) in liver and blood samples of Olive Ridley turtle population from the Escobilla beach (Oaxaca, Mexico). PFDA and PFUnA were the predominant PFCs in blood samples (detected in 93% and 84% of samples, respectively) and were also present in the highest concentrations. Liver samples showed higher PFCA concentrations than whole blood samples, with PFNA and PFDA the most abundant PFCs congeners in liver samples, detected in 65% and 47% of the samples, respectively. The measured levels of contaminants in the blood samples of Lepidochelys olivacea sea turtles were compared to the levels reported in the literature for other turtle species. While linear significant correlations between PFNA, PFDA and PFUnA concentrations in blood samples and curved carapace lengths were determined, no correlation was found for PFOA, supporting the hypothesis that sea turtles could have a higher ability to eliminate this perfluorinated chemical from their blood than other PFCAs. However, we do not know if the concentrations are species or sampling areas dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Pasanisi
- University of Siena, Department of Physical Sciences, Earth and Environment, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Adriana A Cortés-Gómez
- Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Marcos Pérez-López
- Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UEX), 10003 Caceres, Spain.
| | - Francisco Soler
- Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UEX), 10003 Caceres, Spain
| | - David Hernández-Moreno
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Department of Environment, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristiana Guerranti
- Bioscience Research Center, Via Aurelia Vecchia 32, 58015 Orbetello, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Tania Martellini
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", via della Lastruccia, 3, 50100 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Diego Romero
- Toxicology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Alessandra Cincinelli
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", via della Lastruccia, 3, 50100 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy; Istituto per la Dinamica dei Processi Ambientali (CNR-IDPA), Venezia, Italy.
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40
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Tedeschi JN, Kennington WJ, Tomkins JL, Berry O, Whiting S, Meekan MG, Mitchell NJ. Heritable variation in heat shock gene expression: a potential mechanism for adaptation to thermal stress in embryos of sea turtles. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:rspb.2015.2320. [PMID: 26763709 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.2320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The capacity of species to respond adaptively to warming temperatures will be key to their survival in the Anthropocene. The embryos of egg-laying species such as sea turtles have limited behavioural means for avoiding high nest temperatures, and responses at the physiological level may be critical to coping with predicted global temperature increases. Using the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) as a model, we used quantitative PCR to characterise variation in the expression response of heat-shock genes (hsp60, hsp70 and hsp90; molecular chaperones involved in cellular stress response) to an acute non-lethal heat shock. We show significant variation in gene expression at the clutch and population levels for some, but not all hsp genes. Using pedigree information, we estimated heritabilities of the expression response of hsp genes to heat shock and demonstrated both maternal and additive genetic effects. This is the first evidence that the heat-shock response is heritable in sea turtles and operates at the embryonic stage in any reptile. The presence of heritable variation in the expression of key thermotolerance genes is necessary for sea turtles to adapt at a molecular level to warming incubation environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- J N Tedeschi
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - W J Kennington
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - J L Tomkins
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - O Berry
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans and Atmosphere Flagship, Floreat, Western Australia 6014, Australia
| | - S Whiting
- Marine Science Program, Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife, Kensington, Western Australia 6151, Australia
| | - M G Meekan
- UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia Australian Institute of Marine Science, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - N J Mitchell
- School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia UWA Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
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42
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Maffucci F, Corrado R, Palatella L, Borra M, Marullo S, Hochscheid S, Lacorata G, Iudicone D. Seasonal heterogeneity of ocean warming: a mortality sink for ectotherm colonizers. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23983. [PMID: 27044321 PMCID: PMC4820753 DOI: 10.1038/srep23983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Distribution shifts are a common adaptive response of marine ectotherms to climate change but the pace of redistribution depends on species-specific traits that may promote or hamper expansion to northern habitats. Here we show that recently, the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) has begun to nest steadily beyond the northern edge of the species' range in the Mediterranean basin. This range expansion is associated with a significant warming of spring and summer sea surface temperature (SST) that offers a wider thermal window suitable for nesting. However, we found that post-hatchlings departing from this location experience low winter SST that may affect their survival and thus hamper the stabilization of the site by self-recruitment. The inspection of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change model projections and observational data on SST trends shows that, despite the annual warming for this century, winter SST show little or no trends. Therefore, thermal constraints during the early developmental phase may limit the chance of population growth at this location also in the near future, despite increasingly favourable conditions at the nesting sites. Quantifying and understanding the interplay between dispersal and environmental changes at all life stages is critical for predicting ectotherm range expansion with climate warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio Maffucci
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Corrado
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima, Str. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Luigi Palatella
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima, Str. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Marco Borra
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Salvatore Marullo
- Dipartimento di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Sandra Hochscheid
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Lacorata
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima, Str. Lecce-Monteroni, 73100, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniele Iudicone
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Naples, Italy
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43
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Ahles N, Milton SL. Mid-incubation relocation and embryonic survival in loggerhead sea turtle eggs. J Wildl Manage 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.1023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natasha Ahles
- Department of Biological Sciences; Florida Atlantic University; 777 Glades Road Boca Raton Florida 33431 USA
| | - Sarah L. Milton
- Department of Biological Sciences; Florida Atlantic University; 777 Glades Road Boca Raton Florida 33431 USA
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44
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Sydeman WJ, Poloczanska E, Reed TE, Thompson SA. Climate change and marine vertebrates. Science 2015; 350:772-7. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aac9874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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A review of fibropapillomatosis in Green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Vet J 2015; 212:48-57. [PMID: 27256025 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2015.10.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite being identified in 1938, many aspects of the pathogenesis and epidemiology of fibropapillomatosis (FP) in marine turtles are yet to be fully uncovered. Current knowledge suggests that FP is an emerging infectious disease, with the prevalence varying both spatially and temporally, even between localities in close proximity to each other. A high prevalence of FP in marine turtles has been correlated with residency in areas of reduced water quality, indicating that there is an environmental influence on disease presentation. Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) has been identified as the likely aetiological agent of FP. The current taxonomic position of ChHV5 is in the family Herpesviridae, subfamily Alphaherpesvirinae, genus Scutavirus. Molecular differentiation of strains has revealed that a viral variant is typically present at specific locations, even within sympatric species of marine turtles, indicating that the disease FP originates regionally. There is uncertainty surrounding the exact path of transmission and the conditions that facilitate lesion development, although recent research has identified atypical genes within the genome of ChHV5 that may play a role in pathogenesis. This review discusses emerging areas where researchers might focus and theories behind the emergence of FP globally since the 1980s, which appear to be a multi-factorial interplay between the virus, the host and environmental factors influencing disease expression.
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Mazaris AD, Vokou D, Almpanidou V, Türkozan O, Sgardelis SP. Low conservatism of the climatic niche of sea turtles and implications for predicting future distributions. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es15-00053.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Sim EL, Booth DT, Limpus CJ. Incubation temperature, morphology and performance in loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtle hatchlings from Mon Repos, Queensland, Australia. Biol Open 2015; 4:685-92. [PMID: 26002933 PMCID: PMC4467188 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20148995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine turtles are vulnerable to climate change because their life history and reproduction are tied to environmental temperatures. The egg incubation stage is arguably the most vulnerable stage, because marine turtle eggs require a narrow range of temperatures for successful incubation. Additionally, incubation temperature affects sex, emergence success, morphology and locomotor performance of hatchlings. Hatchlings often experience high rates of predation in the first few hours of their life, and increased size or locomotor ability may improve their chances of survival. Between 2010 and 2013 we monitored the temperature of loggerhead (Caretta caretta; Linnaeus 1758) turtle nests at Mon Repos Rookery, and used these data to calculate a mean three day maximum temperature (T3dm) for each nest. We calculated the hatching and emergence success for each nest, then measured the mass, size and locomotor performance of hatchlings that emerged from those nests. Nests with a T3dm greater than 34°C experienced a lower emergence success and produced smaller hatchlings than nests with a T3dm lower than 34°C. Hatchlings from nests with a T3dm below 34°C performed better in crawling and swimming trials than hatchlings from nests with a T3dm above 34°C. Thus even non-lethal increases in global temperatures have the potential to detrimentally affect fitness and survival of marine turtle hatchlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Sim
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David T Booth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Colin J Limpus
- Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, PO Box 2454, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
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Wyneken J, Lolavar A. Loggerhead sea turtle environmental sex determination: Implications of moisture and temperature for climate change based predictions for species survival. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2015; 324:295-314. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette Wyneken
- Department of Biological Sciences; Florida Atlantic University; Boca Raton Florida
| | - Alexandra Lolavar
- Department of Biological Sciences; Florida Atlantic University; Boca Raton Florida
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49
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Cavallo C, Dempster T, Kearney MR, Kelly E, Booth D, Hadden KM, Jessop TS. Predicting climate warming effects on green turtle hatchling viability and dispersal performance. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Cavallo
- Department of Zoology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria3010 Australia
| | - Tim Dempster
- Department of Zoology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria3010 Australia
| | - Michael R. Kearney
- Department of Zoology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria3010 Australia
| | - Ella Kelly
- Department of Zoology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria3010 Australia
| | - David Booth
- School of Biological Sciences University of Queensland St. Lucia Queensland4067 Australia
| | - Kate M. Hadden
- Tiwi Land Council PO Box 38545 Winnellie Northern Territory0821 Australia
| | - Tim S. Jessop
- Department of Zoology University of Melbourne Parkville Victoria3010 Australia
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50
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Boyle M, Hone J, Schwanz LE, Georges A. Under what conditions do climate-driven sex ratios enhance versus diminish population persistence? Ecol Evol 2014; 4:4522-33. [PMID: 25512848 PMCID: PMC4264901 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Revised: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
For many species of reptile, crucial demographic parameters such as embryonic survival and individual sex (male or female) depend on ambient temperature during incubation. While much has been made of the role of climate on offspring sex ratios in species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), the impact of variable sex ratio on populations is likely to depend on how limiting male numbers are to female fecundity in female-biased populations, and whether a climatic effect on embryonic survival overwhelms or interacts with sex ratio. To examine the sensitivity of populations to these interacting factors, we developed a generalized model to explore the effects of embryonic survival, hatchling sex ratio, and the interaction between these, on population size and persistence while varying the levels of male limitation. Populations with TSD reached a greater maximum number of females compared to populations with GSD, although this was often associated with a narrower range of persistence. When survival depended on temperature, TSD populations persisted over a greater range of temperatures than GSD populations. This benefit of TSD was greatly reduced by even modest male limitation, indicating very strong importance of this largely unmeasured biologic factor. Finally, when males were not limiting, a steep relationship between sex ratio and temperature favoured population persistence across a wider range of climates compared to the shallower relationships. The opposite was true when males were limiting - shallow relationships between sex ratio and temperature allowed greater persistence. The results highlight that, if we are to predict the response of populations with TSD to climate change, it is imperative to 1) accurately quantify the extent to which male abundance limits female fecundity, and 2) measure how sex ratios and peak survival coincide over climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Boyle
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Jim Hone
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Lisa E Schwanz
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South WalesSydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of CanberraCanberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
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