1
|
Labastida-Estrada E, González-Cortés L, Karam-Martínez SG, Montoya-Márquez JA, Zúñiga-Marroquín T, Becerril-Morales F, Islas-Villanueva V. Influence of incubation temperature, maternal effects, and paternity on quality of olive ridley hatchlings (Lepidochelys olivacea) from a mass-nesting beach in the Mexican Pacific. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:563-577. [PMID: 38470019 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Future climate change scenarios project that the increase in surface temperatures will affect ocean temperatures, inducing shifts in marine biodiversity. Sea turtles are species that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change because temperature is a factor that influences embryonic development. We collected clutches of olive ridley turtles from a mass-nesting beach in the Mexican Pacific, which were incubated in ex situ conditions. When the hatchlings emerged, we measured the body condition index-which evaluates the weight-length relationship-and swim thrust, both were considered traits associated with fitness, termed "fitness proxies," and evaluated the effects of incubation temperature, maternal effects, and paternity on these fitness proxies. The body condition index was correlated positively and significantly with the arribada month and temperature during the last third of the incubation period but showed an inverse relationship with the maternal effect. While swim thrust was positively correlated with the maternal effect and the arribada month, there was an inverse relationship with incubation temperature during the first third of the period. Paternity, whether single or multiple, did not have a significant effect on either fitness proxies; however, it may have effects on the average fitness of a population of hatchlings. These results underscore the need to expand research on the sublethal effects of high incubation temperatures on the adaptation and survival of sea turtles, particularly in scenarios of rapid climate change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Labastida-Estrada
- División de Estudios de Posgrado, Programa de Maestría en Ciencias: Ecología Marina, Universidad del Mar campus Puerto Ángel. Ciudad Universitaria, San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, México
| | - Liliana González-Cortés
- División de Estudios de Posgrado, Programa de Maestría en Ciencias: Ecología Marina, Universidad del Mar campus Puerto Ángel. Ciudad Universitaria, San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, México
| | - Samantha G Karam-Martínez
- Instituto de Recursos, Universidad del Mar campus Puerto Ángel. Ciudad Universitaria, San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, México
| | - José Alberto Montoya-Márquez
- Instituto de Recursos, Universidad del Mar campus Puerto Ángel. Ciudad Universitaria, San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, México
| | - Tania Zúñiga-Marroquín
- Instituto de Agroingeniería, Universidad del Papaloapan campus Loma Bonita, Avenida Ferrocarril, Ciudad Universitaria, Loma Bonita, Oaxaca, México
| | - Felipe Becerril-Morales
- Instituto de Agroingeniería, Universidad del Papaloapan campus Loma Bonita, Avenida Ferrocarril, Ciudad Universitaria, Loma Bonita, Oaxaca, México
| | - Valentina Islas-Villanueva
- Instituto de Genética, CONAHCYT-Universidad del Mar campus Puerto Ángel. Ciudad Universitaria, San Pedro Pochutla, Oaxaca, México
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Cordero GA, Balk ML, Pérez-González CE, Solberg LM, Doody JS, Plummer MV, Janzen FJ. Geographic variation in incubation temperatures promoting viable offspring production in broadly co-distributed turtles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:509-524. [PMID: 38436056 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Organisms whose early life stages are environmentally sensitive produce offspring within a relatively narrow range of suitable abiotic conditions. In reptiles, development rate and survival are often maximized if incubation temperatures remain under 31°C, though this upper bound may vary within and among species. We addressed this expectation by comparing responses to egg incubation at 30°C versus 33°C in congeneric turtle species pairs with broad syntopic geographic distributions. In the two softshell turtles (Apalone spp.), the greatest changes in development rate and phenotypic variance were observed in the northernmost population, which had a low survival rate (40%) at 33°C. The presumably suboptimal temperature (33°C) for northern populations otherwise yielded 76%-93% survival rates and fast swimming speeds in more southern populations. Still, in one species, northern hatchlings incubated at 33°C matched the elevated speeds of their southern counterparts, revealing a countergradient response. In northern populations of the two map turtles (Graptemys spp.), survival was also reduced (28%-60%) at 33°C and the development rate (relative to 30°C) increased by up to 75%. Our experiments on divergent taxa with similar nesting ecologies substantiate that the optimal thermal range for offspring production is variable. These findings encourage further work on how population- and species-level differences relate to local adaptation in widely distributed oviparous species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo A Cordero
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Michelle L Balk
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - César E Pérez-González
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Lisa M Solberg
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| | - Jeremiah Sean Doody
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
| | | | - Fredric J Janzen
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wu DY, Han XZ, Li T, Sun BJ, Qin XY. How incubation temperature affects hatchling performance in reptiles: an integrative insight based on plasticity in metabolic enzyme. Curr Zool 2024; 70:195-203. [PMID: 38726248 PMCID: PMC11078047 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Evaluating the effects of temperature variations on animals plays an important role in understanding the threat of climate warming. The effects of developmental temperature on offspring performance are critical in evaluating the effects of warming temperatures on the fitness of oviparous species, but the physiological and biochemical basis of this developmental plasticity is largely unknown. In this study, we incubated eggs of the turtle Pelodiscus sinensis at low (24 °C), medium (28 °C), and high (32 °C) temperatures, and evaluated the effects of developmental temperature on offspring fitness, and metabolic enzymes in the neck and limb muscles of hatchlings. The hatchlings from eggs incubated at the medium temperature showed better fitness-related performance (righting response and swimming capacity) and higher activities of metabolic enzymes (hexokinase, HK; lactate dehydrogenase, LDH) than hatchlings from the eggs incubated at high or low temperatures. In addition, the swimming speed and righting response were significantly correlated with the HK activities in limb (swimming speed) and neck (righting response) muscles, suggesting that the developmental plasticity of energy metabolic pathway might play a role in determining the way incubation temperature affects offspring phenotypes. Integrating the fitness-related performance and the activities of metabolic enzymes, we predict that the P. sinensis from high latitude would not face the detrimental effects of climate warming until the average nest temperatures reach 32 °C.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Yang Wu
- College of Life and Environment Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservational Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xing-Zhi Han
- College of Wildlife and Protected Area, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Teng Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Bao-Jun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservational Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Qin
- College of Life and Environment Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Maneja RH, Miller JD, Flint JB, Alcaria JFA, Basali AU, Flandez AVB, Gopalan J, Duraisamy T, Abrogueña JBR, Bawazier AA, Das PB, Manokaran S, Asiri YY, Qasem A, Asfahani K, Qurban MAB. Extreme conditions reduce hatching success of green turtles (Chelonia mydas L.) at Karan Island, the major nesting site in the Arabian Gulf. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 190:114801. [PMID: 36965265 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Survival in the early life stages is a major factor determining the growth and stability of wildlife populations. For sea turtles, nest location must provide favorable conditions to support embryonic development. Hatching success and incubation environment of green turtle eggs were examined in July 2019 at Karan Island, a major nesting site for the species in the Arabian Gulf. Mean hatching success averaged at 38.8 % (range = 2.5-75.0 %, n = 14). Eggs that suffered early embryonic death (EED) and late embryonic death (LED) represented 19.8 % (range: 3.3-64.2 %) and 41.4 % (range: 4.8-92.6 %) of the clutch on average, respectively. Nest sand was either coarse (0.5-1 mm: mean 44.8 %, range = 30.4-56.9 % by dry weight, n = 14) or medium (0.25-0.5 mm: mean 33.6 %, range = 12.0-45.5 % by dry weight, n = 14). Mean sand moisture (4.0 %, range = 3.2-4.9 %, n = 14) was at the lower margin for successful development. Hatching success was significantly higher in clutches with sand salinity <1500 EC.uS/cm (n = 5) than those above 2500 EC.uS/cm (n = 5). Mean clutch temperatures at 1200 h increased by an average of 5.4 °C during the 50-d post-oviposition from 31.2 °C to 36.6 °C. Embryos experienced lethally high temperatures in addition to impacts of other environmental factors (salinity, moisture, sand grain size), which was related to reduced hatching success. Conservation initiatives must consider the synergistic influence of the above parameters in formulating strategies to improve the overall resilience of the green turtle population in the Arabian Gulf to anthropogenic and climate change-related stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R H Maneja
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - J D Miller
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - J B Flint
- One Welfare and Sustainability Center, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, OH, USA
| | - J F A Alcaria
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - A U Basali
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - A V B Flandez
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - J Gopalan
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - T Duraisamy
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - J B R Abrogueña
- Environmental Protection and Control Department, Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries, Saudi Arabia
| | - A A Bawazier
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - P B Das
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - S Manokaran
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - Y Y Asiri
- Center for Environment and Marine Studies, Research Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
| | - A Qasem
- Environmental Protection Department, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - K Asfahani
- Environmental Protection Department, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - M A B Qurban
- National Center for Wildlife, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
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.
Collapse
|
7
|
Booth DT, Turner AG, Laloë J, Limpus CJ. How well do embryo development rate models derived from laboratory data predict embryo development in sea turtle nests? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A: ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:516-526. [PMID: 35189044 PMCID: PMC9305169 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Development rate of ectothermic animals varies with temperature. Here we use data derived from laboratory constant temperature incubation experiments to formulate development rate models that can be used to model embryonic development rate in sea turtle nests. We then use a novel method for detecting the time of hatching to measure the in situ incubation period of sea turtle clutches to test the accuracy of our models in predicting the incubation period from nest temperature traces. We found that all our models overestimated the incubation period. We hypothesize three possible explanations which are not mutually exclusive for the mismatch between our modeling and empirically measured in situ incubation period: (1) a difference in the way the incubation period is calculated in laboratory data and in our field nests, (2) inaccuracies in the assumptions made by our models at high incubation temperatures where there is no empirical laboratory data, and (3) a tendency for development rate in laboratory experiments to be progressively slower as temperature decreases compared with in situ incubation. We determined the hatching time in sea turtle nests and compared those with hatching times predicted from nest temperature traces. We found that nest temperature traces overestimated hatching time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David T. Booth
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Alysabeth G. Turner
- Animal and Veterinary Bioscience The University of Queensland St Lucia Queensland Australia
| | - Jacques‑Olivier Laloë
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong Victoria Australia
| | - Colin J. Limpus
- Aquatic Threatened Species Unit Queensland Government Department of Science and Environment Brisbane Queensland Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Raynal RS, Noble DWA, Riley JL, Senior AM, Warner DA, While GM, Schwanz LE. Impact of fluctuating developmental temperatures on phenotypic traits in reptiles: a meta-analysis. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274260. [PMID: 35258602 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243369] [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: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
During the vulnerable stages of early life, most ectothermic animals experience hourly and diel fluctuations in temperature as air temperatures change. While we know a great deal about how different constant temperatures impact the phenotypes of developing ectotherms, we know remarkably little about the impacts of temperature fluctuations on the development of ectotherms. In this study, we used a meta-analytic approach to compare the mean and variance of phenotypic outcomes from constant and fluctuating incubation temperatures across reptile species. We found that fluctuating temperatures provided a small benefit (higher hatching success and shorter incubation durations) at cool mean temperatures compared with constant temperatures, but had a negative effect at warm mean temperatures. In addition, more extreme temperature fluctuations led to greater reductions in embryonic survival compared with moderate temperature fluctuations. Within the limited data available from species with temperature-dependent sex determination, embryos had a higher chance of developing as female when developing in fluctuating temperatures compared with those developing in constant temperatures. With our meta-analytic approach, we identified average mean nest temperatures across all taxa where reptiles switch from receiving benefits to incurring costs when incubation temperatures fluctuate. More broadly, our study indicates that the impact of fluctuating developmental temperature on some phenotypes in ectothermic taxa are likely to be predictable via integration of developmental temperature profiles with thermal performance curves.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S Raynal
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Daniel W A Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Julia L Riley
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, Canada, E4L 1E2
| | - Alistair M Senior
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Science, School of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Geoffrey M While
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Sandy Bay, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia
| | - Lisa E Schwanz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gatto CR, Reina RD. A review of the effects of incubation conditions on hatchling phenotypes in non-squamate reptiles. J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:207-233. [PMID: 35142902 PMCID: PMC8894305 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-021-01415-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Developing embryos of oviparous reptiles show substantial plasticity in their responses to environmental conditions during incubation, which can include altered sex ratios, morphology, locomotor performance and hatching success. While recent research and reviews have focused on temperature during incubation, emerging evidence suggests other environmental variables are also important in determining hatchling phenotypes. Understanding how the external environment influences development is important for species management and requires identifying how environmental variables exert their effects individually, and how they interact to affect developing embryos. To address this knowledge gap, we review the literature on phenotypic responses in oviparous non-squamate (i.e., turtles, crocodilians and tuataras) reptile hatchlings to temperature, moisture, oxygen concentration and salinity. We examine how these variables influence one another and consider how changes in each variable alters incubation conditions and thus, hatchling phenotypes. We explore how incubation conditions drive variation in hatchling phenotypes and influence adult populations. Finally, we highlight knowledge gaps and suggest future research directions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Gatto
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Richard D Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yao YT, Du Y, Pan JX, Lin CX, Ji X, You WH. Incubating green turtle (Chelonia mydas) eggs at constant temperatures: Hatching success, hatchling morphology and post-hatch growth. J Therm Biol 2022; 104:103182. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
|
11
|
Morphometrics and blood analytes of leatherback sea turtle hatchlings (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida: reference intervals, temporal trends with clutch deposition date, and body size correlations. J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:313-324. [PMID: 34997274 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-021-01422-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The northwest Atlantic leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) population is exhibiting decreasing trends along numerous nesting beaches. Since population health and viability are inherently linked, it is important to establish species- and life-stage class-specific blood analyte reference intervals (RIs) so that effects of future disturbances on organismal health can be better understood. For hatchling leatherbacks, the objectives of this study were to (1) establish RIs for morphometrics and blood analytes; (2) evaluate correlations between hatchling morphometrics, blood analytes, and hatching success; and (3) determine temporal trends in hatchling morphometrics and blood analytes across nesting season. Blood samples were collected from 176 naturally emerging leatherback hatchlings from 18 clutches. Reference intervals were established for morphometrics and blood analytes. Negative relationships were noted between hatchling mass and packed cell volume, total white blood cells, heterophils, lymphocytes, and total protein and between body condition index (BCI) and immature red blood cells (RBC), RBC polychromasia and anisocytosis, and total protein. Clutch deposition date showed positive relationships with lymphocytes and total protein, and negative relationships with hatchling mass and BCI. Hatching success was positively correlated with mass, and negatively with total protein and glucose, suggesting that nutritional provisions in eggs, incubation time, and/or metabolic rates could change later in the season and affect survivorship. These various observed correlations provide evidence for increased physiological stress (e.g., inflammation, subclinical dehydration) in hatchlings emerging later in nesting season, presumably due to increased nest temperatures or other environmental factors (e.g., moisture/rainfall). Data reported herein provide morphometric and blood analyte data for leatherback hatchlings and will allow for future investigations into spatiotemporal trends and responses to various stressors.
Collapse
|
12
|
Booth DT, Staines MN, Reina RD. Sand characteristics do not influence hatching success of nests at the world’s largest green turtle rookery. AUST J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/zo21050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
13
|
Topping NE, Valenzuela N. Turtle Nest-Site Choice, Anthropogenic Challenges, and Evolutionary Potential for Adaptation. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.808621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Oviparous animals, such as turtles, lay eggs whose success or demise depends on environmental conditions that influence offspring phenotype (morphology, physiology, and in many reptiles, also sex determination), growth, and survival, while in the nest and post-hatching. Consequently, because turtles display little parental care, maternal provisioning of the eggs and female nesting behavior are under strong selection. But the consequences of when and where nests are laid are affected by anthropogenic habitat disturbances that alter suitable nesting areas, expose eggs to contaminants in the wild, and modify the thermal and hydric environment experienced by developing embryos, thus impacting hatchling survival and the sexual fate of taxa with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) and genotypic sex determination (GSD). Indeed, global and local environmental change influences air, water, and soil temperature and moisture, which impact basking behavior, egg development, and conditions within the nest, potentially rendering current nesting strategies maladaptive as offspring mortality increases and TSD sex ratios become drastically skewed. Endocrine disruptors can sex reverse TSD and GSD embryos alike. Adapting to these challenges depends on genetic variation, and little to no heritability has been detected for nest-site behavior. However, modest heritability in threshold temperature (above and below which females or males develop in TSD taxa, respectively) exists in the wild, as well as interpopulation differences in the reaction norm of sex ratio to temperature, and potentially also in the expression of gene regulators of sexual development. If this variation reflects additive genetic components, some adaptation might be expected, provided that the pace of environmental change does not exceed the rate of evolution. Research remains urgently needed to fill current gaps in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of nest-site choice and its adaptive potential, integrating across multiple levels of organization.
Collapse
|
14
|
Matthews BL, Gatto CR, Reina RD. Effects of moisture during incubation on green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) development, morphology and performance. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
While the effect of temperature on embryonic development in sea turtles has been well studied over recent years, our understanding of the effect of substrate moisture, another important environmental variable, is limited. High sand moisture decreases nest temperature through evaporative and direct cooling during rainfall, but its direct effect on hatchling development, morphology and performance is unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we incubated 40 green sea turtle Chelonia mydas clutches in a beach hatchery under either high (~8% v/v) or low (~5% v/v) sand moisture concentrations for the duration of embryonic development. In half of the clutches, temperature sensors were deployed to measure any effect of sand moisture on nest temperature. As hatchlings emerged, we measured body size and locomotory performance during the first 24 h, an important period of frenzied activity for sea turtles. We excavated clutches post-emergence to determine hatching success, emergence success and to determine the stage of embryonic death for unsuccessful eggs. High moisture concentrations increased incubation duration, decreased nest temperature and had marginal effects on hatchling morphology, but no effect on hatching success, stage of embryonic death, crawling speed or initial swimming performance. However, after 24 h of swimming, hatchlings from high-moisture clutches produced less mean swim thrust and spent less time powerstroking than hatchlings from low-moisture clutches, suggesting reduced swimming endurance and potentially impacting the ability of hatchlings to successfully disperse. The effect of moisture on nest temperature and hatchling endurance highlights the importance of considering rainfall patterns when predicting future impacts of climate change on sea turtle populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- BL Matthews
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - CR Gatto
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - RD Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gammon M, Bentley B, Fossette S, Mitchell N. Metabolic Rates and Thermal Thresholds of Embryonic Flatback Turtles ( Natator depressus) from the North West Shelf of Australia. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 94:429-442. [PMID: 34581661 DOI: 10.1086/716848] [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] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractNest microclimates influence embryonic development and survival in many lineages, including reptiles with temperature-dependent sex determination. These microclimates are dependent on physical drivers and biological processes, such as embryonic metabolism, that generate heat. The flatback turtle (Natator depressus) has among the largest hatchlings of the seven extant sea turtle species, making it an excellent candidate for quantifying the contribution of embryonic metabolism to the nest microclimate. Consequently, we measured embryonic metabolic rates, development rates, and the relationship between temperature and sex determination for a N. depressus population nesting at Cemetery Beach in Western Australia, a mainland beach characterized by high sand temperatures. Total oxygen consumed at 29.5°C during an average 52-d incubation period was 2,622 mL, total carbon dioxide produced was 1,886 mL, and estimated embryonic heat production reached 38 mW at 90% of development. Adjustment of metabolic rates to 32°C and 34°C increased peak heat production by 18% and 27%, respectively. The pivotal temperature (TPIV) producing an equal sex ratio was 30.3°C, mixed sexes were produced between 29.3°C and 31.2°C, and only females were produced above 31.2°C. The TPIV was similar (within 0.2°C) to that of an island rookery within the same genetic stock (North West Shelf), but the peak development rate (2.5% d-1) was estimated to be achieved at a temperature ~2.5°C higher (34.7°C) than the island rookery. Our results add to a growing consensus that thermal thresholds vary among sea turtle populations, even within the same genetic stock. Furthermore, we show that metabolic heat will have an appreciable impact on the nest microclimate, which has implications for embryonic survival and fitness under a future climate with warmer sand temperatures.
Collapse
|
16
|
Kang CQ, Meng QY, Dang W, Lu HL. Divergent incubation temperature effects on thermal sensitivity of hatchling performance in two different latitudinal populations of an invasive turtle. J Therm Biol 2021; 100:103079. [PMID: 34503815 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.103079] [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: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The incubation temperature for embryonic development affects several aspects of hatchling performance, but its impact on the thermal sensitivity of performance attributes remains poorly investigated. In the present study, Trachemys scripta elegans hatchlings from two different latitudinal populations were collected to assess the effects of different incubation temperatures on the locomotor (swimming speed) and physiological (heart rate) performances, and the thermal sensitivity of these two attributes. The incubation temperature significantly affected the examined physiological traits. Hatchling turtles produced at low incubation temperature exhibited relatively higher cold tolerance (lower body temperatures at which the animals lose the ability to escape from the lethal conditions), and reduced heart rate and swimming speed. Furthermore, the effect of incubation temperature on the thermal sensitivity of swimming speed differed between the low- and high-latitude populations. At relatively high incubation temperatures, the high-latitude hatchling turtles exhibited reduced thermal sensitivities of swimming speed than those of the low-latitude ones. Reduced thermal sensitivity of locomotor performance together with high cold tolerance, exhibited by the high-latitude hatchling turtles potentially reflected local adaptation to relatively colder and more thermally-variable environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Quan Kang
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Qin-Yuan Meng
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Wei Dang
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China
| | - Hong-Liang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 310036, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Köhnk S, Brown R, Liddell A. Finding of a two-headed green turtle embryo during nest monitoring in Baa Atoll, Maldives. Onderstepoort J Vet Res 2021; 88:e1-e8. [PMID: 34476952 PMCID: PMC8424721 DOI: 10.4102/ojvr.v88i1.1940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Green sea turtles are one of the two species of marine turtles known to nest in the Maldives. The prevalent time of nesting seems to be inconsistent throughout the island nation. In this study, sea turtle nesting activity was monitored on the island of Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu in Baa Atoll over a period of 12 months. A total of 13 nests were confirmed with a median hatching success rate of 89.58% as ascertained by nest excavation. In one of the nests, a severely deformed hatchling with polycephaly, an opening in the neck area and a lordotic spine was found, and we investigated in detail with radiographic images and a necropsy. Our findings support the importance of consistent nesting activity and nest monitoring efforts in the country as a basis for conservation efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Köhnk
- Olive Ridley Project, Bramhall, Stockport, Cheshire, United Kingdom; and, Morphology Lab, Center of Natural History, University of Hamburg, Hamburg.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Pusapati C, Manoharakrishnan M, Phillott AD, Shanker K. Effect of Hatchery Nest Environment on Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) Hatchling Performance. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1450.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chandana Pusapati
- TERI School of Advanced Studies, Plot 10, Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi 110070, India []
| | | | - Andrea D. Phillott
- Dakshin Foundation, 1818, 9th Cross, 5th Main, Sahakar Nagar B block, Bangalore 560092, Karnataka, India []
| | - Kartik Shanker
- Dakshin Foundation, 1818, 9th Cross, 5th Main, Sahakar Nagar B block, Bangalore 560092, Karnataka, India []
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
García-Grajales J, Meraz-Hernando J, Arcos García J, Ramírez-Fuentes E. Influence of nest temperature on morphology of Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) hatchlings incubated in hatcheries in Oaxaca, Mexico. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The influence of nest incubation temperatures on carapace shape and morphological traits of Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea (Vandelli, 1761)) hatchlings incubated in two hatcheries in Oaxaca, Mexico, was evaluated. This study was carried out from October 2016 through May 2017. On each beach, there are community groups consisting of volunteers not affiliated with universities who protect and relocate the nests to increase hatching success. In each translocated nest, a data logger was placed in the centre of the egg mass. Hatchlings were collected as they emerged from each nest. The carapaces of the hatchlings were photographed and subjected to geometric morphometric analysis; also, hatchlings were weighed and their bodies measured. The mean temperature of 12 nests in each hatchery was recorded, with no significant differences between hatcheries. The principal component analysis revealed an overlapping of the carapace shape under different temperature durations. Temperature had a significant influence on hatchling morphology. Higher mean incubation temperatures produced hatchlings with low mass, smaller appendages, narrower carapace widths, and shorter flipper lengths. Lower mean incubation temperatures produced hatchlings with greater mass, wider appendage widths, wider carapace widths, and longer flipper lengths. Results indicate that the Leatherback hatchlings incubated in hatcheries demonstrate morphology that varies in relation to nest incubation temperature in a similar way to hatchlings produced in natural environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. García-Grajales
- Instituto de Recursos, Univesidad del Mar, Km. 2.5, Carretera Federal Puerto Escondido – Sola de Vega, Puerto Escondido 71980, Oaxaca, México
| | - J.F. Meraz-Hernando
- Instituto de Recursos, Univesidad del Mar, Km. 2.5, Carretera Federal Puerto Escondido – Sola de Vega, Puerto Escondido 71980, Oaxaca, México
| | - J.L. Arcos García
- Instituto de Industrias, Univesidad del Mar, Km. 2.5, Carretera Federal Puerto Escondido – Sola de Vega, Puerto Escondido 71980, Oaxaca, México
| | - E. Ramírez-Fuentes
- Instituto de Recursos, Univesidad del Mar, Km. 2.5, Carretera Federal Puerto Escondido – Sola de Vega, Puerto Escondido 71980, Oaxaca, México
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Gatto CR, Matthews B, Reina RD. Role of incubation environment in determining thermal tolerance of sea turtle hatchlings. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Warming global temperatures are predicted to reduce population viability in many oviparous ectothermic taxa, with increased embryonic mortality likely to be a main cause. While research on embryonic upper thermal limits is extensive, sea turtle hatchling thermal tolerance has received less attention and our understanding of how incubation conditions influence hatchling thermal tolerance is limited. Here, we report green turtle Chelonia mydas hatchling hydration and thermal tolerance following incubation in dry and wet conditions. We used packed cell volume and total protein as indicators of hydration and measured the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of hatchlings in air. Neither hydration nor thermal tolerance was directly influenced by moisture treatment. However, hatchlings from moister nests had longer incubation durations (wet: 60.11 d vs. dry: 54.86 d), and, using incubation duration as a proxy for incubation temperature, hatchlings from cooler nests had significantly lower CTmax (wet: 39.84°C vs. dry: 40.51°C). Thus, despite not directly influencing thermal tolerance, moisture treatment influenced nest temperature indirectly; hatchlings that experienced warmer conditions in dry nests had a higher thermal tolerance than hatchlings from cooler and wetter nests. Ectothermic neonates may have greater plasticity in their thermal tolerance than previously thought, but their ability to adapt to increasing temperature is likely limited. Additionally, common management techniques to reduce nest temperatures, such as watering and shading nests, may only reduce embryonic mortality at the cost of decreased hatchling thermal tolerance and increased hatchling mortality during emergence. Nesting-site management interventions designed to reduce embryonic mortality will need to consider mitigation of the possible effects of those interventions on hatchling mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- CR Gatto
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - B Matthews
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - RD Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Shamblott KM, Reneker JL, Kamel SJ. The thermal impacts of beach nourishment across a regionally important loggerhead sea turtle (
Caretta caretta
) rookery. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlynn M. Shamblott
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington North Carolina28409USA
| | | | - Stephanie J. Kamel
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology Center for Marine Science University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington North Carolina28409USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Mazlan NA, Booth DT, Rusli MU. Testing the validity of using raceway and swimway performance in sea turtle hatchlings as an index of real-life crawling and swimming performance. WILDLIFE RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/wr21029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
25
|
Hall JM, Warner DA. Ecologically relevant thermal fluctuations enhance offspring fitness: biological and methodological implications for studies of thermal developmental plasticity. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb231902. [PMID: 32778564 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.231902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/04/2020] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Natural thermal environments are notably complex and challenging to mimic in controlled studies. Consequently, our understanding of the ecological relevance and underlying mechanisms of organismal responses to thermal environments is often limited. For example, studies of thermal developmental plasticity have provided key insights into the ecological consequences of temperature variation, but most laboratory studies use treatments that do not reflect natural thermal regimes. While controlling other important factors, we compared the effects of naturally fluctuating temperatures with those of commonly used laboratory regimes on development of lizard embryos and offspring phenotypes and survival. We incubated eggs in four treatments: three that followed procedures commonly used in the literature, and one that precisely mimicked naturally fluctuating nest temperatures. To explore context-dependent effects, we replicated these treatments across two seasonal regimes: relatively cool temperatures from nests constructed early in the season and warm temperatures from late-season nests. We show that natural thermal fluctuations have a relatively small effect on developmental variables but enhance hatchling performance and survival at cooler temperatures. Thus, natural thermal fluctuations are important for successful development and simpler approximations (e.g. repeated sine waves, constant temperatures) may poorly reflect natural systems under some conditions. Thus, the benefits of precisely replicating real-world temperatures in controlled studies may outweigh logistical costs. Although patterns might vary according to study system and research goals, our methodological approach demonstrates the importance of incorporating natural variation into controlled studies and provides biologists interested in thermal ecology with a framework for validating the effectiveness of commonly used methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Hall
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Auburn University, Department of Biological Sciences, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Gatto CR, Reina RD. Sea turtle hatchling locomotor performance: incubation moisture effects, ontogeny and species-specific patterns. J Comp Physiol B 2020; 190:779-793. [PMID: 32959084 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-020-01307-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Incubation conditions are critical in determining numerous traits in reptilian neonates. This is particularly significant in species with low offspring survival such as sea turtle species, because of the extremely high predation rates that hatchlings face during their initial dispersal from nesting beaches. Hatchlings that develop in suboptimal nest environments are likely to be smaller, slower and more susceptible to predation than hatchlings from optimal nest environments. Previous studies have focused on the effects of temperature on hatchling traits, but few have investigated the effects of moisture concentrations, despite moisture levels in nests influencing hatchling size, sex, incubation duration, and hatching success. Here, we incubated eggs of three sea turtle species at various moisture levels and tested the terrestrial and aquatic locomotor performance of the resultant hatchlings during the frenzy and post-frenzy period. We also compared and evaluated the ontogeny of early locomotor performance for each species over the first months of life. Drier incubation conditions produced hatchlings that crawled more slowly and took longer to self-right than hatchlings from wetter incubation conditions. There was no difference in swimming performance associated with moisture treatments. We suggest that moisture in the nest environment during incubation may influence hatchling performance via their initial hydration levels. Thus, nest moisture influences terrestrial performance (i.e., escaping from the nest and dispersing across the beach), although upon entering the ocean hatchlings have the opportunity to rehydrate by drinking and thus, differences in locomotor performance associated with moisture treatments cease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Gatto
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia.
| | - Richard D Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, 25 Rainforest Walk, Clayton, VIC, 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Gammon M, Fossette S, McGrath G, Mitchell N. A Systematic Review of Metabolic Heat in Sea Turtle Nests and Methods to Model Its Impact on Hatching Success. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.556379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
|
28
|
Santidrián Tomillo P, Spotila JR. Temperature-Dependent Sex Determination in Sea Turtles in the Context of Climate Change: Uncovering the Adaptive Significance. Bioessays 2020; 42:e2000146. [PMID: 32896903 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202000146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The adaptive significance of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) in reptiles remains unknown decades after TSD was first identified in this group. Concurrently, there is growing concern about the effect that rising temperatures may have on species with TSD, potentially producing extremely biased sex ratios or offspring of only one sex. The current state-of the-art in TSD research on sea turtles is reviewed here and, against current paradigm, it is proposed that TSD provides an advantage under warming climates. By means of coadaptation between early survival and sex ratios, sea turtles are able to maintain populations. When offspring survival declines at high temperatures, the sex that increases future fecundity (females) is produced, increasing resilience to climate warming. TSD could have helped reptiles to survive mass extinctions in the past via this model. Flaws in research on sex determination in sea turtles are also identified and it is suggested that the development of new techniques will revolutionize the field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - James R Spotila
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Science, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Kobayashi S, Endo D, Kondo S, Kitayama C, Ogawa R, Arai K, Watanabe G, Kawaguchi M. Investigating the effects of nest shading on the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling phenotype in the Ogasawara islands using a field-based split clutch experiment. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 333:629-636. [PMID: 32894008 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The Ogasawara Islands are an important rookery for the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) in the North Pacific. Green turtles possess temperature-dependent sex determination, and warmer incubation temperatures produce more females than males. Therefore, conservation practices such as nest shading may be required for this population to mitigate the effect of global warming on their sex ratio. To consider the application of such conservation practices in the Ogasawara population, it is fundamental to understand how artificially modified nest environments will affect green turtle hatchling phenotypes that influence their fitness. Here, we investigated the effects of nest shading on green turtle hatchling phenotypes in the Ogasawara population by using a split clutch experiment equally separating the clutch, relocating each half-clutch into an outdoor hatchery area either with or without shading, and observing the subsequent hatchling phenotype. Our results showed that the shading treatment produced hatchlings with a better self-righting response and a larger carapace size. Additionally, the shading treatment mostly reduced the production of hatchlings with a nonmodal scute pattern and produced hatchlings with a smaller unabsorbed yolk sac, which may be associated with their residual yolk mass. These results suggest that conservation practices such as shading could alter not only the sex ratio but also the hatchling phenotype that influences their fitness. Hence, our results suggest that applications of such conservation strategies must be carefully considered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Kobayashi
- Organization for the Strategic Coordination of Research and Intellectual Property, Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Daisuke Endo
- Course of Applied Marine Biosciences, Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satomi Kondo
- Everlasting Nature of Asia, Ogasawara Marine Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chiyo Kitayama
- Everlasting Nature of Asia, Ogasawara Marine Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryuta Ogawa
- Everlasting Nature of Asia, Ogasawara Marine Center, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Arai
- Department of Biological Production Science, United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Gen Watanabe
- Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Maiko Kawaguchi
- Laboratory of Animal Behavior and Environmental Science, Department of Agriculture, School of Agriculture, Meiji University, Kanagawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lamont MM, Johnson D, Carthy RR. The incubation environment of nests deposited by a genetically distinct group of loggerhead sea turtles in Northwest Florida. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
|
31
|
Abstract
Abstract
Sea turtle hatchlings experience high mortality rates during dispersal. To minimize time spent in predator-dense waters, hatchlings typically undergo a period of hyperactivity termed the ‘frenzy’, characterized by almost continuous swimming for ~24 h. Research has focused on swimming performance during the frenzy, but our understanding of changes in swimming performance post-frenzy is limited. Thus, we measured green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling swimming performance during the frenzy and post-frenzy when the turtles were 4, 12 and 24 weeks old. Using load cells, we recorded thrust production, stroke rates and the time turtles spent performing various swimming gaits. We found that the proportion of time spent powerstroking and the thrust generation per powerstroke were the main determinants of overall swimming performance. Older, larger turtles generated more thrust per stroke, but the proportion of time spent powerstroking throughout the entire swimming trial did not differ among age groups. Hatchlings have been thought mainly to use currents to reach nursery foraging grounds, and our findings suggest that hatchling swimming might also play an important role in directing hatchlings to optimal nursery habitats, supporting recent studies. Additionally, turtle size is positively related to swimming performance in post-frenzy turtles, suggesting that faster-growing turtles might have fitness advantages over slower-growing turtles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard D Reina
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Burns TJ, Thomson RR, McLaren RA, Rawlinson J, McMillan E, Davidson H, Kennedy MW. Buried treasure-marine turtles do not 'disguise' or 'camouflage' their nests but avoid them and create a decoy trail. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200327. [PMID: 32537227 PMCID: PMC7277256 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
After laying their eggs and refilling the egg chamber, sea turtles scatter sand extensively around the nest site. This is presumed to camouflage the nest, or optimize local conditions for egg development, but a consensus on its function is lacking. We quantified activity and mapped the movements of hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) turtles during sand-scattering. For leatherbacks, we also recorded activity at each sand-scattering position. For hawksbills, we recorded breathing rates during nesting as an indicator of metabolic investment and compared with published values for leatherbacks. Temporal and inferred metabolic investment in sand-scattering was substantial for both species. Neither species remained near the nest while sand-scattering, instead moving to several other positions to scatter sand, changing direction each time, progressively displacing themselves from the nest site. Movement patterns were highly diverse between individuals, but activity at each sand-scattering position changed little between completion of egg chamber refilling and return to the sea. Our findings are inconsistent with sand-scattering being to directly camouflage the nest, or primarily for modifying the nest-proximal environment. Instead, they are consistent with the construction of a series of dispersed decoy nests that may reduce the discovery of nests by predators.
Collapse
|
33
|
Banerjee SM, Frey A, Kurle CM, Perrault JR, Stewart KR. Morphological variation in leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) hatchlings at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, US Virgin Islands. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding species’ mating systems provides important information about their ecology, life history, and behavior. Direct observations of mating behaviors can be challenging, but molecular techniques can reveal information about mating systems and paternal identity in difficult-to-observe species such as sea turtles. Genetic markers can be used to assess the paternity of a clutch and to assign hatchlings to a father. Leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea sometimes mate with multiple individuals, resulting in clutches with mixed paternity; however, the effects of multiple paternity on hatchling quality are unclear. Leatherback hatchlings at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, exhibit visible variation in individual body size, sometimes within the same clutch. We collected morphometrics and tissue samples from hatchlings across multiple nesting seasons (2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2016) and found that hatchlings exhibited small but statistically significant differences in morphometrics between years. We used maternal and hatchling microsatellite genotypes to reconstruct paternal genotypes, assigning fathers to each hatchling. We found multiple paternity in 5 of 17 clutches analyzed and compared differences in morphometrics between full-siblings with differences between half-siblings. We found no significant differences between morphometrics of hatchlings from the same mother but different fathers. We compared within-clutch variances in morphometrics for clutches with and without multiple paternity and found no significant difference in morphological variation between them. Therefore, we could not attribute differences in hatchling size within a clutch to paternal contribution. Understanding other factors affecting hatchling morphology, and other possible fitness metrics, may reveal insights into the benefits, or lack thereof, of polyandry in sea turtles.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- SM Banerjee
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA, ORCID: 0000-0003-1210-2162
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - A Frey
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - CM Kurle
- Division of Biological Sciences, Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Section, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA, ORCID: 0000-0003-1121-9924
| | - JR Perrault
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
- Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Juno Beach, FL 33408, USA, ORCID: 0000-0002-5046-6701
| | - KR Stewart
- The Ocean Foundation, Washington, DC 20036, USA, ORCID: 0000-0002-8673-5192
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Fleming KA, Perrault JR, Stacy NI, Coppenrath CM, Gainsbury AM. Heat, health and hatchlings: associations of in situ nest temperatures with morphological and physiological characteristics of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings from Florida. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa046. [PMID: 32523697 PMCID: PMC7269062 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Incubation temperatures, in addition to an embryo's genetic makeup, are critical in many aspects of adequate sea turtle embryonic development. The effects of high and low incubation temperatures on hatchling quality have been previously examined; however, many of these studies were conducted on relocated or laboratory-reared nests, which do not accurately reflect natural nest temperature fluctuations. To observe the impacts of varying in situ incubation temperatures on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) hatchling morphology, various health variables and locomotor performance, temperature data loggers were deployed in 15 loggerhead nests on Juno Beach, Florida, between May and July 2018. Over the course of the study period, 10 morphological traits were measured, blood analytes and heart rate were assessed for the establishment of reference intervals and the self-righting response in seawater was evaluated. Warmer months were associated with smaller body size and higher body condition index, larger umbilical scar size, slower righting time, lower heart rates and higher packed cell volume, hemoglobin, total solids, total white blood cell count, absolute heterophils and absolute basophils. These findings provide evidence that higher in situ incubation temperatures have the potential to adversely affect hatchlings from warmer nests due to increased risk of predation from smaller body sizes, decreased physical responses and overall fitness, altered hemodynamic balance (e.g. dehydration) and potential inflammation and/or stress. With rising temperatures, we predict sea turtle hatchlings may have increasing risks of developing suboptimal physiological features affecting overall fitness and ultimately survival. These results demonstrate that rising environmental temperatures can negatively impact sea turtle hatchlings, thus representing additional stress on sea turtle populations and contributing to our understanding of potential pathophysiological effects of climate change on the delicate life-stage class of the sea turtle hatchling. This information will be useful for formulating effective future sea turtle management plans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey A Fleming
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Florida St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
| | | | - Nicole I Stacy
- Aquatic, Amphibian, and Reptile Pathology Program, Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | | | - Alison M Gainsbury
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Florida St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Florida St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Maffucci F, Pace A, Affuso A, Ciampa M, Treglia G, Pignalosa A, Hochscheid S. Carapace scute pattern anomalies in the loggerhead turtle: are they indicative of hatchling’s survival probability? J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- F. Maffucci
- IMOM Unit RIMAR Department Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Naples Italy
| | - A. Pace
- Marine Turtle Research Center Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Portici Italy
| | - A. Affuso
- Marine Turtle Research Center Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Portici Italy
| | - M. Ciampa
- Marine Turtle Research Center Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Portici Italy
| | - G. Treglia
- Marine Turtle Research Center Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Portici Italy
| | - A. Pignalosa
- Marine Turtle Research Center Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Portici Italy
| | - S. Hochscheid
- Marine Turtle Research Center Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Portici Italy
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Spinks RK, Munday PL, Donelson JM. Developmental effects of heatwave conditions on the early life stages of a coral reef fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/16/jeb202713. [PMID: 31444281 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.202713] [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: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Marine heatwaves, which are increasing in frequency, duration and intensity owing to climate change, are an imminent threat to marine ecosystems. On coral reefs, heatwave conditions often coincide with periods of peak recruitment of juvenile fishes and exposure to elevated temperature may affect their development. However, whether differences in the duration of high temperature exposure have effects on individual performance is unknown. We exposed juvenile spiny damselfish, Acanthochromis polyacanthus, to increasing lengths of time (3, 7, 30 and 108 days post-hatching) of elevated temperature (+2°C). After 108 days, we measured escape performance at present-day control and elevated temperatures, standard length, mass and critical thermal maximum. Using a Bayesian approach, we show that 30 days or more exposure to +2°C leads to improved escape performance, irrespective of performance temperature, possibly owing to developmental effects of high temperature on muscle development and/or anaerobic metabolism. Continued exposure to elevated temperature for 108 days caused a reduction in body size compared with the control, but not in fish exposed to high temperature for 30 days or less. By contrast, exposure to elevated temperatures for any length of time had no effect on critical thermal maximum, which, combined with previous work, suggests a short-term physiological constraint of ∼37°C in this species. Our study shows that extended exposure to increased temperature can affect the development of juvenile fishes, with potential immediate and future consequences for individual performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel K Spinks
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook Drive, Douglas 4814, James Cook University, QLD, Australia
| | - Philip L Munday
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook Drive, Douglas 4814, James Cook University, QLD, Australia
| | - Jennifer M Donelson
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook Drive, Douglas 4814, James Cook University, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
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]
|
38
|
Simoncini MS, Leiva PML, Piña CI, Cruz FB. Influence of temperature variation on incubation period, hatching success, sex ratio, and phenotypes in Caiman latirostris. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2019; 331:299-307. [PMID: 31033236 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Temperature is crucial for reptiles, also during embryonic development, particularly for species with temperature-dependent sex determination. Under natural conditions, Broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) eggs are influenced by thermal changes in the interior of the nest related to the external environmental temperature. As nests are subject to variations in temperature and most lab studies on crocodilian incubation have been carried out at constant temperatures, we were interested in determining how temperature fluctuations may affect the development of caiman embryos. We investigated the effects of incubation at constant temperatures (31°C, 32°C, and 33°C) and fluctuating temperatures (31 ± 2, 32 ± 1, and 32 ± 2°C) on the following aspects: incubation period duration, hatching success, sex ratio, total length, and body mass of C. latirostris hatchlings. Eggs incubated at 31°C produced 100% females, those at 32°C produced 71.6% females (however, the sex ratio was nest related), and at 33°C produced 100% males. We found a masculinizing effect when incubation was at 31 ± 2°C compared with a constant 31°C; and temperature fluctuations at 32°C (32 ± 1 and 32 ± 2°C) had a negative effect on hatchlings size and mass, and hatching success compared with constant incubation temperatures of 32°C and 33°C. Finally, the effect of temperature variation during the incubation period on sex ratio, hatching success, and phenotype depends on the mean temperature, as the fluctuation around 31°C affected the sex ratios and incubation period, and the fluctuation around 32°C affected hatchling success and size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melina S Simoncini
- CIC y TTP, CONICET-Prov. Entre Ríos-UAdER. FCyT, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina.,Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados (FHUC-UNL/MMA), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Pamela M L Leiva
- CIC y TTP, CONICET-Prov. Entre Ríos-UAdER. FCyT, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina.,Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados (FHUC-UNL/MMA), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Carlos I Piña
- CIC y TTP, CONICET-Prov. Entre Ríos-UAdER. FCyT, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina.,Proyecto Yacaré, Laboratorio de Zoología Aplicada: Anexo Vertebrados (FHUC-UNL/MMA), Santa Fe, Argentina
| | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Usategui-Martín A, Liria-Loza A, Miller JD, Medina-Suárez M, Jiménez-Bordón S, Pérez-Mellado V, Montero D. Effects of incubation temperature on hatchling performance and phenotype in loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
|
40
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Incubation and water temperatures influence the performances of loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings during the dispersal phase. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11911. [PMID: 30093615 PMCID: PMC6085310 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-30347-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial manipulation of incubation temperature has been proposed as a potential strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change on sea turtles for which sex determination is temperature-dependent, but thermal manipulation may also affect hatchling survival. Here, we demonstrated that incubation and water temperatures influenced several performance traits that contribute to the survival of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) during the post-hatchling dispersal phase. Hatchlings from warm incubation temperatures (31 °C) had significantly shorter incubation periods, higher initial swimming performance, lower sustained swimming performance, and lower growth rates during the first three weeks post-hatching, as well as higher blood glucose concentrations, than those from cool incubation temperatures (27.5 °C). Hatchlings in warm water temperatures (30 °C) exhibited significantly greater swimming performance than those in cool water temperatures (27 °C). Our results indicated that altering incubation temperatures indirectly influences the survival of loggerhead hatchlings by modifying their swimming performance and growth rates, which may affect hatchling predator-avoidance capability. Moreover, thermal manipulation may alter the incubation period, exposing hatchling to water temperatures that they would not otherwise normally experience, which may affect swimming performance. Our results suggest that such conservation strategies may influence their survival, and thus should be carefully considered.
Collapse
|
43
|
Booth DT. Incubation temperature induced phenotypic plasticity in oviparous reptiles: Where to next? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:343-350. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David T. Booth
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Queensland; Queensland Australia
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Hatase H, Omuta K, Itou K, Komatsu T. Effect of maternal foraging habitat on offspring quality in the loggerhead sea turtle ( Caretta caretta). Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3543-3555. [PMID: 29607045 PMCID: PMC5869213 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Exploring a trade‐off between quantity and quality of offspring allows differences in the fitness between alternative life histories to be accurately evaluated. We addressed the mechanism that maintains alternative life histories (small oceanic planktivores vs. large neritic benthivores) observed in a loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) population, which has been suggested to be environmental, based on the lack of genetic structure and a large difference in reproductive output. We examined whether maternal foraging habitat affects offspring quality, by measuring the morphology, emergence success, and righting response of hatchlings following incubation in a common open sand area over the whole nesting season at Yakushima Island, Japan, and by recording early growth and survival of offspring that were reared in a common environment at a Japanese aquarium. Furthermore, we tested whether sea turtles adjust egg size in response to temporal shifts of the incubation environment. There were no significant differences in any hatchling traits between oceanic and neritic foragers (which were classified by stable isotope ratios), except for clutches laid during the warmest period of the nesting season. There were also no significant differences in the growth and survival of offspring originating from the two foragers. The size of eggs from both foragers significantly increased as the season progressed, even though the rookery had heavy rainfall, negating the need to counteract heat‐related reduction in hatchling morphology. In comparison, the sizes of adult body and clutches from both foragers did not vary significantly. The results further support our previous suggestions that the size‐related foraging dichotomy exhibited by adult sea turtles does not have a genetic basis, but derives from phenotypic plasticity. Adjustment in reproductive investment may be associated with: (1) predation avoidance, (2) founder effect, and/or (3) annual variation in egg size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hideo Hatase
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Chiba Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Omuta
- Yakushima Sea Turtle Research Group Yakushima Kagoshima Japan
| | | | - Teruhisa Komatsu
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute The University of Tokyo Kashiwa Chiba Japan.,Present address: Department of Commerce Yokohama College of Commerce Tsurumi, Yokohama Kanagawa Japan
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Stewart TA, Booth DT, Rusli MU. Influence of sand grain size and nest microenvironment on incubation success, hatchling morphology and locomotion performance of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary, Redang Island, Malaysia. AUST J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/zo19025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The nest microenvironment affects hatching and emergence success, sex ratios, morphology, and locomotion performance of hatchling sea turtles. Sand grain size is hypothesised to influence the nest microenvironment, but the influence of sand grain size on incubation of sea turtle eggs has rarely been experimentally tested. At the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary, Redang Island, Malaysia, green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nests were relocated to sands with different sand grain sizes on a natural beach to assess whether grain size affects nest temperature, oxygen partial pressure inside the nest, incubation success, hatchling morphology and hatchling locomotion performance. Green turtle nests in coarse sand were cooler; however, hatching success, nest emergence success, oxygen partial pressure, incubation length and hatchling size were not influenced by sand particle size. Nests in medium-grained sands were warmest, and hatchlings from these nests were better self-righters but poorer crawlers and swimmers. Hatchling self-righting ability was not correlated with crawling speed or swimming speed, but crawling speed was correlated with swimming speed, with hatchlings typically swimming 1.5–2 times faster than they crawled. Hence, we found that sand particle size had minimal influence on the nest microenvironment and hatchling outcomes.
Collapse
|
46
|
Read TC, Petit M, Magnan M, Booth D. Going back to the roots: finding a strategy for the management of nesting loggerhead sea turtles in New Caledonia. AUST J ZOOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1071/zo19051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Incubation temperature plays a vital role in sea turtle life history because it influences embryonic growth, sex determination and hatchling attributes such as body size, residual yolk size, self-righting ability, crawling speed and swimming speed. For these reasons there is concern that predicted increases in air temperature, as a result of global warming, will increase nest temperatures and result in decreased hatching success, decrease or cease male hatchling production, and decreased hatchling quality. In a previous study examining incubation temperature at a loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) rookery located at La Roche Percée, New Caledonia, high nest temperatures and root invasion by beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) were found to adversely affect hatching success and locomotor performance. In the current study, we relocated loggerhead turtle nests into shaded hatcheries. Shading nests decreased sand and nest temperatures and was predicted to increase male hatchling production slightly, but nest emergence success was decreased due to invasion of cottonwood (Hibiscus tiliaceus) roots into some nests. Using shaded structures is a viable and affordable management option to counteract the high sand temperatures found on some sea turtle nesting beaches, but these shade structures need to be located some distance from trees and other plants to ensure that root penetration into nests does not adversely affect nest emergence success.
Collapse
|
47
|
Eisemberg CC, Drummond GM, Vogt RC. Boosting female hatchling production in endangered, male-biased turtle populations. WILDLIFE SOC B 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carla C. Eisemberg
- Charles Darwin University; Ellengowan Drive, Casuarina, Darwin NT 0810 Australia
| | - Glaucia M. Drummond
- Fundação Biodiversitas; Rua Ludgero Dolabela; 1021, Belo Horizonte MG 30430-130 Brazil
| | - Richard C. Vogt
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; Avenida André Araújo; 2936, Manaus AM 69083-000 Brazil
| |
Collapse
|