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Zhang X, Zhao J, Zhou C, Li W, Liu Y, Wei C, Wang Y, Hong X, Zhu X, Liu X. Assessing and Screening of Female Fertility in Artificially Bred Asian Yellow Pond Turtles ( Mauremys mutica) Based on Parentage Assignment. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:479. [PMID: 38338122 PMCID: PMC10854808 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030479] [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: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The Asian yellow pond turtle (Mauremys mutica) is widely traded in China, and its artificial breeding has now become a major industry. However, the insufficient offspring supply and reproductive decline of farmed turtles make the wild turtles more vulnerable. The present study was mainly designed to quantify the fecundity of M. mutica and attempt to screen for good reproductive performance in females. The genetic variability of the population and its genetic structure were also analysed. The parent-offspring relationships of all offspring in four consecutive years were confirmed using sixteen microsatellite loci. The genetic variability between the parents and offspring was low, and offspring of different years also showed little variability. We summarised the reproductive results of all females and counted the annual number of offspring and the variation in the number of offspring. The females were then divided into three types (stable, undulating and levelling off) according to the continuity. We selected seven females with good reproductive ability, which provided 16.94% of the annual contributions, while there were two females that had no offspring in four years. We also analysed the possible reasons for this difference and the importance of carrying out a family survey. This research can provide the basis and materials for the creation of a good reproductive group and the study of the reproductive biology of turtles in M. mutica aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xincheng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Jian Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Chenyao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
- School of Fishery, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan 316000, China
| | - Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Yihui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Chengqing Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Yakun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Xiaoyou Hong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Xinping Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Fishery Resources Application and Cultivation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China; (X.Z.); (J.Z.); (C.Z.); (W.L.); (Y.L.); (C.W.); (Y.W.); (X.H.)
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Patrício AR, Hawkes LA, Monsinjon JR, Godley BJ, Fuentes MMPB. Climate change and marine turtles: recent advances and future directions. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2021. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change is a threat to marine turtles that is expected to affect all of their life stages. To guide future research, we conducted a review of the most recent literature on this topic, highlighting knowledge gains and research gaps since a similar previous review in 2009. Most research has been focussed on the terrestrial life history phase, where expected impacts will range from habitat loss and decreased reproductive success to feminization of populations, but changes in reproductive periodicity, shifts in latitudinal ranges, and changes in foraging success are all expected in the marine life history phase. Models have been proposed to improve estimates of primary sex ratios, while technological advances promise a better understanding of how climate can influence different life stages and habitats. We suggest a number of research priorities for an improved understanding of how climate change may impact marine turtles, including: improved estimates of primary sex ratios, assessments of the implications of female-biased sex ratios and reduced male production, assessments of the variability in upper thermal limits of clutches, models of beach sediment movement under sea level rise, and assessments of impacts on foraging grounds. Lastly, we suggest that it is not yet possible to recommend manipulating aspects of turtle nesting ecology, as the evidence base with which to understand the results of such interventions is not robust enough, but that strategies for mitigation of stressors should be helpful, providing they consider the synergistic effects of climate change and other anthropogenic-induced threats to marine turtles, and focus on increasing resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- AR Patrício
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - LA Hawkes
- Hatherley Laboratories, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Streatham Campus, Exeter EX4 4PS, UK
| | - JR Monsinjon
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6139, South Africa
| | - BJ Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - MMPB Fuentes
- Marine Turtle Research, Ecology and Conservation Group, Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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3
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Phillott AD, Godfrey MH. Assessing the evidence of ‘infertile’ sea turtle eggs. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2020. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing concern about feminization of sea turtle populations resulting from female-biased production of hatchlings due to climate change and selective loss of males from other anthropogenic drivers. Extreme female-biased breeding populations would reduce the likelihood of successful mating and potentially result in high rates of infertile eggs. Infertile eggs are those in which none of the events between sperm penetration of the ovum and syngamy have occurred. Distinguishing between fertile and infertile eggs is challenging, especially in field conditions, and researchers often have relied on physical evidence gathered from unhatched eggs at the end of the incubation period, which likely have experienced tissue decomposition. We argue that infertility in sea turtle eggs can be demonstrated only by the absence of holes caused by sperm penetration of the inner perivitelline membrane; sperm bound between the inner and outer perivitelline membranes; nuclei in the blastodisc; embryonic tissue or membranes in egg contents; and/or the characteristic white spot on the egg exterior. Unhatched eggs can be examined at the end of the incubation period, but we recommend that studies specifically investigating infertility examine at least 20 oviposited eggs each from clutches laid by at least 20 different turtles at the peak of the nesting season.
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Affiliation(s)
- AD Phillott
- FLAME University, Pune, Maharashtra 412115, India
| | - MH Godfrey
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
- Duke Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Patrício AR, Varela MR, Barbosa C, Broderick AC, Catry P, Hawkes LA, Regalla A, Godley BJ. Climate change resilience of a globally important sea turtle nesting population. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2019; 25:522-535. [PMID: 30567014 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have looked into climate change resilience of populations of wild animals. We use a model higher vertebrate, the green sea turtle, as its life history is fundamentally affected by climatic conditions, including temperature-dependent sex determination and obligate use of beaches subject to sea level rise (SLR). We use empirical data from a globally important population in West Africa to assess resistance to climate change within a quantitative framework. We project 200 years of primary sex ratios (1900-2100) and create a digital elevation model of the nesting beach to estimate impacts of projected SLR. Primary sex ratio is currently almost balanced, with 52% of hatchlings produced being female. Under IPCC models, we predict: (a) an increase in the proportion of females by 2100 to 76%-93%, but cooler temperatures, both at the end of the nesting season and in shaded areas, will guarantee male hatchling production; (b) IPCC SLR scenarios will lead to 33.4%-43.0% loss of the current nesting area; (c) climate change will contribute to population growth through population feminization, with 32%-64% more nesting females expected by 2120; (d) as incubation temperatures approach lethal levels, however, the population will cease growing and start to decline. Taken together with other factors (degree of foraging plasticity, rookery size and trajectory, and prevailing threats), this nesting population should resist climate change until 2100, and the availability of spatial and temporal microrefugia indicates potential for resilience to predicted impacts, through the evolution of nest site selection or changes in nesting phenology. This represents the most comprehensive assessment to date of climate change resilience of a marine reptile using the most up-to-date IPCC models, appraising the impacts of temperature and SLR, integrated with additional ecological and demographic parameters. We suggest this as a framework for other populations, species and taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana R Patrício
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel R Varela
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Castro Barbosa
- Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Guinea-Bissau, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | | | - Paulo Catry
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Lucy A Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Aissa Regalla
- Institute of Biodiversity and Protected Areas of Guinea-Bissau, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
| | - Brendan J Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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Kocmoud AR, Wang HH, Grant WE, Gallaway BJ. Population dynamics of the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle following the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico: Simulation of potential cause-effect relationships. Ecol Modell 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2018.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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BASELINE CORTICOSTERONE, HEMATOLOGY, AND BIOCHEMISTRY RESULTS AND CORRELATIONS TO REPRODUCTIVE SUCCESS IN NESTING LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES (CARETTA CARETTA). J Zoo Wildl Med 2018. [DOI: 10.1638/2017-0051r1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Carreras C, Pascual M, Tomás J, Marco A, Hochscheid S, Castillo JJ, Gozalbes P, Parga M, Piovano S, Cardona L. Sporadic nesting reveals long distance colonisation in the philopatric loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Sci Rep 2018; 8:1435. [PMID: 29362421 PMCID: PMC5780500 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-19887-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The colonisation of new suitable habitats is crucial for species survival at evolutionary scale under changing environmental conditions. However, colonisation potential may be limited by philopatry that facilitates exploiting successful habitats across generations. We examine the mechanisms of long distance dispersal of the philopatric loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) by analysing 40 sporadic nesting events in the western Mediterranean. The analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial DNA and 7 microsatellites of 121 samples from 18 of these nesting events revealed that these nests were colonising events associated with juveniles from distant populations feeding in nearby foraging grounds. Considering the temperature-dependent sex determination of the species, we simulated the effect of the incubation temperature and propagule pressure on a potential colonisation scenario. Our results indicated that colonisation will succeed if warm temperature conditions, already existing in some of the beaches in the area, extend to the whole western Mediterranean. We hypothesize that the sporadic nesting events in developmental foraging grounds may be a mechanism to overcome philopatry limitations thus increasing the dispersal capabilities of the species and the adaptability to changing environments. Sporadic nesting in the western Mediterranean can be viewed as potential new populations in a scenario of rising temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Carreras
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IRBio, University of Barcelona, Av.Diagonal 643, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, TR10 9EZ, UK.
| | - Marta Pascual
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IRBio, University of Barcelona, Av.Diagonal 643, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Tomás
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Apdo. 22085, E-46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Adolfo Marco
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, c/ Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Sandra Hochscheid
- Marine Turtle Research Centre, Department RIMAR, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Nuova Macello, 80055, Portici, Italy
| | - Juan José Castillo
- CREMA (Centro de Recuperación de Especies Marinas Amenazadas), Aula del Mar de Málaga-Consejería de Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía, c/Pacífico 80, E-29004, Málaga, Spain
| | - Patricia Gozalbes
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, Apdo. 22085, E-46071, Valencia, Spain
| | - Mariluz Parga
- Submon Marine Conservation, Rabassa 49, E-08024, Barcelona, Spain
- Marine Animal Rescue Center (CRAM), Passeig de la Platja 28-30, E-08820, El Prat de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Susanna Piovano
- Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell'Uomo, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy
- School of Marine Studies, The University of the South Pacific, Laucala Campus, Prive Mail Bag, Suva, Fiji
| | - Luis Cardona
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences and IRBIo, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, E-08028, Barcelona, Spain
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Rees ALF, Carreras C, Broderick AC, Margaritoulis D, Stringell TB, Godley BJ. Linking loggerhead locations: using multiple methods to determine the origin of sea turtles in feeding grounds. MARINE BIOLOGY 2017; 164:30. [PMID: 28133395 PMCID: PMC5236075 DOI: 10.1007/s00227-016-3055-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Many marine megavertebrate taxa, including sea turtles, disperse widely from their hatching or birthing locations but display natal homing as adults. We used flipper tagging, satellite tracking and genetics to identify the origin of loggerhead turtles living in Amvrakikos Gulf, Greece. This location has been identified as hosting regionally important numbers of large-juvenile to adult sized turtles that display long-term residency and/or association to the area, and also presents a male biased sex ratio for adults. A total of 20 individuals were linked to nesting areas in Greece through flipper tagging and satellite telemetry, with the majority (16) associated with Zakynthos Island. One additional female was tracked from Amvrakikos Gulf to Turkey where she likely nested. Mitochondrial DNA mixed stock analyses of turtles captured in Amvrakikos Gulf (n = 95) indicated 82% of individuals originated from Greek nesting stocks, mainly from Zakynthos Island (63%), with lesser contributions from central Turkey, Cyprus and Libya. These results suggest that the male-biased sex ratio found in Amvrakikos Gulf may be driven by the fact that males breed twice as frequently on Zakynthos, resulting in their using foraging grounds of greater proximity to the breeding site. Conservation measures in localised foraging habitats for the protection of marine vertebrates, such as sea turtles, may have positive impacts on several disparate breeding stocks and the use of multiple methods to determine source populations can indicate the relative effectiveness of these measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- ALan F. Rees
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, 104 32 Athens, Greece
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Carlos Carreras
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics and IRBio, University of Barcelona, Av.Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Annette C. Broderick
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Dimitris Margaritoulis
- ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, Solomou 57, 104 32 Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas B. Stringell
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Marine Turtle Research Group, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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Placing Madagascar's marine turtle populations in a regional context using community-based monitoring. ORYX 2016. [DOI: 10.1017/s0030605315001398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMadagascar is an important foraging ground for marine turtles in the Western Indian Ocean, yet the status of the country's nesting aggregations remains poorly documented. We assess the current status and trend in nesting throughout Madagascar, including data recorded by a community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles (western Madagascar). We contextualize the findings in comparison with data from Madagascar's closest neighbouring states. Reports indicate that nesting levels have declined at many coastal sites, with no known recordings since 2000 at > 40 nesting sites. We estimate there are a minimum of 1,200 nests per year in Madagascar, with the largest recorded nesting aggregation (< 1,000 nests per year) found on islands off the west and northern coasts. The majority of nesting aggregations, including those recorded by the community-based monitoring project in the Barren Isles, are relatively small, in the order of < 50 nests per year, yet they are potentially important sources of regional genetic diversity. Nesting on many of the islands (e.g. Tromelin, Europa) around Madagascar has increased over the last 20 years, despite the fact that thousands of turtles probably originating from these sites are taken by fishers in the waters of Madagascar annually. We discuss the importance of protecting small nesting populations, and how community-based monitoring could be an important tool for conserving remote and vulnerable populations and building capacity for natural resource management.
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Weissenbacher A, Preininger D, Ghosh R, Morshed AGJ, Praschag P. Conservation breeding of the Northern river terrapinBatagur baskaat the Vienna Zoo, Austria, and in Bangladesh. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/izy.12070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - R. Ghosh
- Project-Batagur; Vienna Zoo; Maxingstraße 13b 1130 Vienna Austria
| | - A. G. J. Morshed
- Project-Batagur; Vienna Zoo; Maxingstraße 13b 1130 Vienna Austria
| | - P. Praschag
- Turtle Island; Puntigamerstrasse 7 8041 Graz Austria
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Stokes KL, Fuller WJ, Glen F, Godley BJ, Hodgson DJ, Rhodes KA, Snape RTE, Broderick AC. Detecting green shoots of recovery: the importance of long-term individual-based monitoring of marine turtles. Anim Conserv 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- K. L. Stokes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
| | - W. J. Fuller
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Near East University; Nicosia North Cyprus Turkey
- Society for Protection of Turtles; Kyrenia North Cyprus Turkey
| | - F. Glen
- 16 Eshton Terrace Clitheroe Lancashire UK
| | - B. J. Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
| | - D. J. Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
| | - K. A. Rhodes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
| | - R. T. E. Snape
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
- Society for Protection of Turtles; Kyrenia North Cyprus Turkey
| | - A. C. Broderick
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation; University of Exeter; Penryn UK
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12
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Wright LI, Stokes KL, Fuller WJ, Godley BJ, McGowan A, Snape R, Tregenza T, Broderick AC. Turtle mating patterns buffer against disruptive effects of climate change. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:2122-7. [PMID: 22279164 PMCID: PMC3321698 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2011.2285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2011] [Accepted: 01/04/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For organisms with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), skewed offspring sex ratios are common. However, climate warming poses the unique threat of producing extreme sex ratio biases that could ultimately lead to population extinctions. In marine turtles, highly female-skewed hatchling sex ratios already occur and predicted increases in global temperatures are expected to exacerbate this trend, unless species can adapt. However, it is not known whether offspring sex ratios persist into adulthood, or whether variation in male mating success intensifies the impact of a shortage of males on effective population size. Here, we use parentage analysis to show that in a rookery of the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas), despite an offspring sex ratio of 95 per cent females, there were at least 1.4 reproductive males to every breeding female. Our results suggest that male reproductive intervals may be shorter than the 2-4 years typical for females, and/or that males move between aggregations of receptive females, an inference supported by our satellite tracking, which shows that male turtles may visit multiple rookeries. We suggest that male mating patterns have the potential to buffer the disruptive effects of climate change on marine turtle populations, many of which are already seriously threatened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy I. Wright
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Kimberley L. Stokes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Wayne J. Fuller
- Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, European University of Lefke, Gemikonagi, Lefke, North Cyprus Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Brendan J. Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Andrew McGowan
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Robin Snape
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
- North Cyprus Society for Protection of Turtles, PK65, Kyrenia, North Cyprus, Mersin 10, Turkey
| | - Tom Tregenza
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Annette C. Broderick
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
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Tikochinski Y, Bendelac R, Barash A, Daya A, Levy Y, Friedmann A. Mitochondrial DNA STR analysis as a tool for studying the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations: the Mediterranean Sea case study. Mar Genomics 2012; 6:17-24. [PMID: 22578655 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2012.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2011] [Revised: 01/09/2012] [Accepted: 01/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Mediterranean population of the green sea turtle Chelonia mydas is critically endangered. Genetic analysis of this population using the ordinary haplotyping system, based on sequence analysis of a segment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop (control region), revealed very little variation. The most common haplotype, CM-A13, was observed in all but three individuals in hundreds of samples in previous studies. In search for a more informative marker we sequenced the 3' of the mitochondrial control region which contains an AT-rich microsatellite. We found a unique pattern that consists of four AT short tandem repeats (STRs) with varying copy numbers. This allowed us to construct a new haplotyping system composed of four different STR sizes for each mtDNA sequence. Our new mitochondrial STR (mtSTR) haplotyping approach revealed 33 different haplotypes within the nesting and stranded sea turtles along the Mediterranean Israeli seashore. The Israeli coast nesting females had 10 different haplotypes that can be used for monitoring and conservation purposes. The mtSTR haplotyping system can clearly assist in fingerprinting of individual turtles. Moreover, it can be used for estimating phylogenetic distances within populations. This case study shows that the mtSTR haplotyping is applicable for the study of global green sea turtle populations and could also be considered as markers of genetic variability in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Tikochinski
- School of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel.
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Abstract
Ostensibly, it makes sense in a changeable world to condition behaviour and development on information when it is available. Nevertheless, unconditional behavioural and life history strategies are widespread. Here, we show how intergenerational effects can limit the evolutionary value of responding to reliable environmental cues, and thus favour the evolutionary persistence of otherwise paradoxical unconditional strategies. While cue-ignoring genotypes do poorly in the wrong environments, in the right environment they will leave many copies of themselves, which will themselves leave many copies, and so on, leading genotypes to accumulate in habitats in which they do well. We call this 'The Multiplier Effect'. We explore the consequences of the multiplier effect by focussing on the ecologically important phenomenon of natal philopatry. We model the environment as a large number of temporally varying breeding sites connected by natal dispersal between sites. Our aim is to identify which aspects of an environment promote the multiplier effect. We show, if sites remain connected through some background level of 'accidental' dispersal, unconditional natal philopatry can evolve even when there is density dependence (with its accompanying kin competition effects), and cues that are only mildly erroneous. Thus, the multiplier effect may underpin the evolution and maintenance of unconditional strategies such as natal philopatry in many biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M McNamara
- School of Mathematics, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TW, UK
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15
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Bentivegna F, Rasotto MB, De Lucia GA, Secci E, Massaro G, Panzera S, Caputo C, Carlino P, Treglia G, Hochscheid S. Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) Nests at High Latitudes in Italy: A Call for Vigilance in the Western Mediterranean. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-0862.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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16
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Witt MJ, Hawkes LA, Godfrey MH, Godley BJ, Broderick AC. Predicting the impacts of climate change on a globally distributed species: the case of the loggerhead turtle. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 213:901-11. [PMID: 20190115 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.038133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Marine turtles utilise terrestrial and marine habitats and several aspects of their life history are tied to environmental features that are altering due to rapid climate change. We overview the likely impacts of climate change on the biology of these species, which are likely centred upon the thermal ecology of this taxonomic group. Then, focusing in detail on three decades of research on the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta L.), we describe how much progress has been made to date and how future experimental and ecological focus should be directed. Key questions include: what are the current hatchling sex ratios from which to measure future climate-induced changes? What are wild adult sex ratios and how many males are necessary to maintain a fertile and productive population? How will climate change affect turtles in terms of their distribution?
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Witt
- University of Exeter, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, School of Biosciences, Tremough Campus, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9EZ, UK
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