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Attum O, Nagy A. Patterns of light pollution on sea turtle nesting beaches in the Egyptian Red Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 201:116246. [PMID: 38531203 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116246] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
We examined the probability of past sea turtle nesting as a function of light intensity and patterns of temporal changes of light along nesting beaches in the Egyptian Red Sea. Beaches had a lower probability of past sea turtle nesting as light intensity increased. Light has been significantly increasing on mainland nesting beaches between 1992 and 2021 except for temporary declines. Island beaches historically had lower light pollution, but there was a sudden increase of light starting in 2014 that continued through 2021, except for the precipitous decline in 2020 during the Covid 19 pandemic. Light pollution on past nesting beaches has now approached levels that may be too polluted and discourage nesting. The impacts of the increased light pollution on nesting density and hatchling survival of hawksbill, Eretmochelys imbricata, and green turtles, Chelonia mydas, is likely negative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Attum
- Department of Biology, Indiana University Southeast, 4201 Grant Line Rd., New Albany, IN 47150, USA.
| | - Abdullah Nagy
- Department of Zoology, Al-Azhar University, 1 Al Mokhayam Al Dayem St., Cairo, Egypt.
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Luna-Ortiz A, Marín-Capuz G, Abella E, Crespo-Picazo JL, Escribano F, Félix G, Giralt S, Tomás J, Pegueroles C, Pascual M, Carreras C. New colonisers drive the increase of the emerging loggerhead turtle nesting in Western Mediterranean. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1506. [PMID: 38233518 PMCID: PMC10794258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51664-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is sensitive to climate change and is responding by colonising the Western Mediterranean. To understand the rapid nesting increase in recent years in Spain, we sampled 45 hatchlings from 8 nests between 2016 and 2019. We sequenced a mtDNA D-loop region, genotyped 2291 SNPs using 2bRAD and collected data on clutch size, hatching success, and incubation duration. We confirmed that the colonisation has a Mediterranean and Atlantic mixed origin and we detected that these nests were laid by different females, except for two nests within the same season. Our results suggest that the recent increase in nesting is due to an increase in the number of colonising individuals rather than females born in the same area returning to breed. We hypothesize that this increase in the number of colonisers results from successful conservation efforts, feminisation of the populations of origin and earlier sexual maturation. However, the percentage of offspring females produced in Spain suggests that future returning individuals will aid to the settlement of the new population. These results allow defining the current status of this colonisation although future efforts are needed to detect remigrants to confirm the establishment of a resident population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid Luna-Ortiz
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gisela Marín-Capuz
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Abella
- BETA Technological Center, University of Vic - Central University of Catalonia, Carretera Roda 70, 08500, Vic, Spain
| | - José Luis Crespo-Picazo
- Fundació Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, 46013, Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Escribano
- Centro de Recuperación de Fauna Silvestre "El Valle", Ctra. Subida a El Valle, 62, 30150, La Alberca de las Torres, Murcia, Spain
| | - Guillem Félix
- Consorci per a la Recuperació de la Fauna de les Illes Balears (COFIB), Servei de Protecció d'Espècies. Conselleria Agricultura, Pesca i Medi Natural. Govern de les Illes Balears, Carretera Palma- Sineu, Km 15,400, 07142, Santa Eugènia, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Silvia Giralt
- Fundación para la Conservación y la Recuperación de Animales Marinos (CRAM), 08820, El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Tomás
- Instituto Cavanilles de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, University of Valencia, Apdo, 22085, 46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Cinta Pegueroles
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Pascual
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Carreras
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IrBio, University of Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
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Vella A, Vella N. Conservation Genetics of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Caretta caretta, from the Central Mediterranean: An Insight into the Species' Reproductive Behaviour in Maltese Waters. Animals (Basel) 2023; 14:137. [PMID: 38200868 PMCID: PMC10778046 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758), nestlings were investigated through specimens found dead either after hatching or unhatched (n = 120) from eight nests around the Maltese islands (Central Mediterranean). Molecular genetics was used to conduct maternity and paternity tests of the collected specimens utilizing expanded mitochondrial DNA sequences from the control region (858 bp) and 25 microsatellite loci (12 dinucleotide loci and 13 tetranucleotide loci). Mitochondrial data produced two haplotypes, CC-A2.1 and CC-A3.1, with the most common haplotype being present in seven nests. Microsatellite data revealed the identity of six different females that were involved in the deposition of the eggs in the eight turtle nests analysed. This confirms that two females laid multiple nests. Additionally, microsatellite data allowed for the determination of multiple paternity, with one clutch being sired by two fathers. These results are useful for monitoring the genetic diversity of loggerhead sea turtle nestlings and of the turtle mothers and fathers contributing to future turtle offspring, which rely on Maltese sandy beaches for their successful start to life. Effective conservation management benefits from merging scientific knowledge with effective measures at potential nesting sites to avoid losses of nestlings caused by human negligence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Vella
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Malta, MSD 2080 Msida, Malta
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Papafitsoros K, Adam L, Schofield G. A social media-based framework for quantifying temporal changes to wildlife viewing intensity. Ecol Modell 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Abreo NAS, Aurelio RM, Kobayashi VB, Thompson KF. 'Eye in the sky': Off-the-shelf unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) highlights exposure of marine turtles to floating litter (FML) in nearshore waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 186:114489. [PMID: 36549238 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Litter is a serious threat to the marine environment, with detrimental effects on wildlife and marine biodiversity. Limited data as a result of funding and logistical challenges in developing countries hamper our understanding of the problem. Here, we employed commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a cost-effective tool to study the exposure of marine turtles to floating marine litter (FML) in waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. A quadcopter UAV was flown autonomously with on-board camera capturing videos during the flight. Still frames were extracted when either turtle or litter were detected in post-flight processing. The extracted frames were georeferenced and mapped using QGIS software. Results showed that turtles are highly exposed to FML in nearshore waters. Moreover, spatial dependence between FML and turtles was also observed. The study highlights the effectiveness of UAVs in marine litter research and underscores the threat of FML to turtles in nearshore waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Angelo S Abreo
- Marine Litter Project, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory - Environmental Studies Group, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines; Institute of Advanced Studies, Davao del Norte State College, Panabo City, Philippines.
| | - Remie M Aurelio
- Center for the Advancement of Research in Mindanao, Office of Research, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines
| | - Vladimer B Kobayashi
- Marine Litter Project, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Laboratory - Environmental Studies Group, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines; Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science, College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines
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Tleimat JM, Fritts SR, Brunner RM, Rodriguez D, Lynch RL, McCracken SF. Economic pressures of Covid‐19 lockdowns result in increased timber extraction within a critically endangered region: A case study from the Pacific Forest of Ecuador. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9550. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn M. Tleimat
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science and Engineering Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Texas USA
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering Texas State University – San Marcos San Marcos Texas USA
| | - Sarah R. Fritts
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering Texas State University – San Marcos San Marcos Texas USA
| | - Rebecca M. Brunner
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, College of Natural Resources University of California – Berkeley Berkeley California USA
- Third Millennium Alliance Fremont California USA
| | - David Rodriguez
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Engineering Texas State University – San Marcos San Marcos Texas USA
| | | | - Shawn F. McCracken
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Science and Engineering Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Texas USA
- Third Millennium Alliance Fremont California USA
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Gravelle J, Wyneken J. Resilient Eggs: Highly Successful Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nesting Sites Vary in Their Characteristics. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.853835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea turtle nest success, defined as the number of eggs in a nest that successfully hatch and emerge, is closely linked to environmental conditions. Interacting biotic and abiotic factors influence hatching and hatchling emergence success. To date, combinations of multiple factors interacting together, which result in highly successful sea turtle nests are not well understood. Using 25 years of historic nest data and local expert experience, we identified five historically successful loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nesting beaches (hotspots) along the Florida (United States) Atlantic coast and measured nest environments along with the nest success. Principal component analysis was used to reduce 12 environmental variables so that the relative contributions of sand characteristics, nest temperatures, sand moisture, and nest location were considered. The nest environments differed among nesting beaches and were broadly segregated into two distinct climates: subtropical (hot and humid) and warm-temperate (warm and dry). We found that nests at subtropical sites, compared with warm-temperate sites, were characterized by environmental gradients in contrasting ways. Nest locations were predominantly mid-beach in subtropical sites but clustered at higher elevations and closer to the base of the dune at warm-temperate climate sites. Collectively, highly successful nest hotspots represent a mosaic of abiotic factors providing conditions that promote successful hatching and emergence. This new perspective on consistently successful loggerhead nesting beach traits demonstrate that the key traits of sea turtle nesting habitat vary with prevailing climate type and should be managed accordingly.
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Abstract
The development of ecotourism involving wild animals in Russia is overlooked despite the fact that the country’s territory is significant not only in terms of area but also in terms of the diversity of its flora and fauna. A significant part of Russia’s territory has a low population density, especially beyond the Ural ridge. It retains its natural primeval nature, which can contribute to the development of ecotourism. Initial attempts have been made to develop this, mainly in the European part (Tatarstan, Murmansk Region, the Baltic Sea, Baikal, Altai), but the commercial use of wild animals within ecotourism programs, including the ones in Siberia and the Far East, has not been discussed. This work focuses on the basics of launching ecotourism in the industrial region of Siberia (Kuzbass, Russia) as part of the Alcesalces conservation program.
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Schofield G, Dickson LCD, Westover L, Dujon AM, Katselidis KA. COVID-19 disruption reveals mass-tourism pressure on nearshore sea turtle distributions and access to optimal breeding habitat. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2516-2526. [PMID: 34548882 PMCID: PMC8444759 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the extent to which animals detect and respond to human presence allows us to identify pressure (disturbance) and inform conservation management objectively; however, obtaining baselines against which to compare human impact is hindered in areas where human activities are already well established. For example, Zakynthos Island (Greece, Mediterranean) receives around 850,000 visitors each summer, while supporting an important loggerhead sea turtle rookery (~300 individuals/season). The coronavirus (COVID-19)-driven absence of tourism in May-June 2020 provided an opportunity to evaluate the distribution dynamics of this population in the absence (2020) vs. presence (2018 and 2019) of visitors using programmed unmanned aerial system (UAS) surveys. Ambient sea temperature transitioned from suboptimal for breeding in May to optimal in late June, with turtle distribution appearing to shift from shallow (to benefit from waters 3-5°C above ambient) to deeper waters in 2018 and 2019, but not 2020. The 2020 data set demonstrated that increased tourism pressure, not temperature, drives turtles offshore. Specifically, >50% of turtles remained within 100 m of shore at densities of 25-50 visitors/km, even when sea temperature rose, with 2018 and 2019 data supporting this trend. Reduced access to warmer, nearshore waters by tourism could delay the onset of nesting and increase the length of the egg maturation period between nesting events (internesting interval) at this site. A coastal refuge zone could be delimited in May-June where touristic infrastructure is minimal, but also where turtles frequently aggregate. In conclusion, sea turtles appear capable of perceiving changes in the level of human pressure at fine spatial and temporal scales and adjusting their distribution accordingly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail Schofield
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Liam C D Dickson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Lucy Westover
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
| | - Antoine M Dujon
- Centre for Integrative Ecology School of Life and Environmental Sciences Deakin University Geelong Vic. Australia
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