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Catron S, Roth S, Zumpano F, Bintz J, Fordyce JA, Lenhart S, Miller DL, Wyneken J. Modeling the impacts of temperature during nesting seasons on Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Sea Turtle populations in South Florida. Ecol Modell 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2023.110363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
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2
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Charles KE, Morrall CE, Edwards JJ, Carter KD, Afema JA, Butler BP, Marancik DP. Environmental and Nesting Variables Associated with Atlantic Leatherback Sea Turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea) Embryonic and Hatching Success Rates in Grenada, West Indies. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040685. [PMID: 36830474 PMCID: PMC9951857 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Annual monitoring of leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting grounds in Grenada, West Indies has identified relatively low hatch rates compared to worldwide trends. This study investigated the impact of selected environmental variables on leatherback sea turtle embryonic development and hatching success rates on Levera Beach in Grenada between 2015-2019. The mean number of nests per year and eggs per nest were 667.6 ± 361.6 and 80.7 ± 23.0 sd, respectively. Within excavated nests, 35.6% ± 22.0 sd of eggs successfully developed embryos and 30.6% ± 22.6 sd of eggs successfully hatched. The number of eggs per nest, along with embryo and hatching success rates, differed by nesting year. Embryo development success rate was associated with nest location, and both embryo development and hatching success rates were positively associated with nest depth and negatively associated with the percentage of eggs exhibiting microbial growth and with the presence of inspissated yolk. There was no embryo development or hatchling success association with month of the nesting season, distance from the high-water mark, distance from vegetation, nor maternal carapace length. The mean nest temperature was 31.7 °C ± 1.64 sd and mean temperatures during the middle third of egg incubation suggest clutches are highly skewed towards a preponderance of female hatchlings. Histopathologic findings in hatchling mortalities included severe, acute, multifocal, heterophilic bronchopneumonia with intralesional bacteria in 4/50 (8%) hatchlings. Data from this study guide conservation strategies by identifying risk factors and further avenues of research needed to support reproductive success of leatherback sea turtles in Grenada and the greater Caribbean region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate E. Charles
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, True Blue, West Indies, Grenada
- Ocean Spirits, Inc., West Indies, Grenada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1473-537-2512
| | - Clare E. Morrall
- Ocean Spirits, Inc., West Indies, Grenada
- Department of Biology, Ecology, and Conservation, School of Arts and Sciences, St. George’s University, True Blue, West Indies, Grenada
| | - Jonnel J. Edwards
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, True Blue, West Indies, Grenada
| | - Kenrith D. Carter
- Ocean Spirits, Inc., West Indies, Grenada
- Dr Carter Veterinary Services, West Indies, Grenada
| | - Josephine A. Afema
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, True Blue, West Indies, Grenada
| | - Brian P. Butler
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, True Blue, West Indies, Grenada
| | - David P. Marancik
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, St. George’s University, True Blue, West Indies, Grenada
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3
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Lockley EC, Eizaguirre C. Effects of global warming on species with temperature-dependent sex determination: Bridging the gap between empirical research and management. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2361-2377. [PMID: 34745331 PMCID: PMC8549623 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Global warming could threaten over 400 species with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) worldwide, including all species of sea turtle. During embryonic development, rising temperatures might lead to the overproduction of one sex and, in turn, could bias populations' sex ratios to an extent that threatens their persistence. If climate change predictions are correct, and biased sex ratios reduce population viability, species with TSD may go rapidly extinct unless adaptive mechanisms, whether behavioural, physiological or molecular, exist to buffer these temperature-driven effects. Here, we summarize the discovery of the TSD phenomenon and its still elusive evolutionary significance. We then review the molecular pathways underpinning TSD in model species, along with the hormonal mechanisms that interact with temperatures to determine an individual's sex. To illustrate evolutionary mechanisms that can affect sex determination, we focus on sea turtle biology, discussing both the adaptive potential of this threatened TSD taxon, and the risks associated with conservation mismanagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Lockley
- School of Biological and Chemical SciencesQueen Mary University LondonLondonUK
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4
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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.
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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
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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
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6
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Tanabe LK, Ellis J, Elsadek I, Berumen ML. Potential feminization of Red Sea turtle hatchlings as indicated by in situ sand temperature profiles. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey K. Tanabe
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
| | - Joanne Ellis
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
- School of Biological Sciences Waikato University Tauranga New Zealand
| | - Islam Elsadek
- Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Ministry of Environment Hurghada Egypt
| | - Michael L. Berumen
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal Saudi Arabia
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Massey MD, Congdon JD, Davy C, Rollinson N. First Evidence of Metabolic Heating in a Freshwater Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1356.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melanie D. Massey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2 Canada []
| | - Justin D. Congdon
- Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, Drawer E, Aiken, South Carolina 29802 USA []
| | - Christina Davy
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry. 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 7B8 Canada
| | - Njal Rollinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3B2 Canada []
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8
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Ware M, Fuentes MM. Potential for Relocation to Alter the Incubation Environment and Productivity of Sea Turtle Nests in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1306.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Ware
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
| | - Mariana M.P.B. Fuentes
- Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
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Sönmez B. Relationship between Metabolic Heating and Nest Parameters in Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas, L. 1758) on Samandağ Beach, Turkey. Zoolog Sci 2018; 35:243-248. [PMID: 29882496 DOI: 10.2108/zs180003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Acquiring information about metabolic heating is necessary for the improved understanding of nesting beaches. However, there are limited studies on metabolic heating of green turtle (Chelonia mydas, L. 1758) on Mediterranean beaches. The present study sought to determine the metabolic heating, and its effect on the feminization of green turtle hatchlings during 2016 and 2017 nesting season on Samandağ Beach, Hatay, Turkey. Moreover, the relations between metabolic heating and nest parameters, and spatio-temporal differences of metabolic heating were evaluated. Nest temperatures were recorded by using data loggers placed at the center of nests (n = 18), and the same depth was used to determine the sand temperature that was 50 cm back of the egg chamber. The mean incubation duration was calculated as 51.1 days, and the mean distance of nests from sea and the mean nest depth were measured as 32.4 meters and 67.70 cm, respectively. The mean numbers of embryo that is early, middle and late embryonic stages were found as 110.8, 93.2 and 93.05, respectively. The mean clutch size was found as 110.8. Mean metabolic heating was 0.37°C in the middle third of incubation for both years. The metabolic heating in both years was close to the as reported in the other green turtles nesting beaches in the Mediterranean. The feminization effect of metabolic heating was calculated as 6.8% in the green turtle nests on Samandağ Beach. Metabolic heating did not vary spatially, and the clutch size was the most important factor in metabolic heating and explained a large proportion of the variation in metabolic heating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bektaş Sönmez
- Cumhuriyet University, Suşehri Timur Karabal Vocational Training School, 58600, Suşehri, Sivas, Turkey
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10
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Candan O. Impact of nest relocation on the reproductive success of Loggerhead Turtles, Caretta caretta, in the Göksu Delta, Turkey (Reptilia: Cheloniidae). ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2017.1414978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Onur Candan
- Molecular Biology and Genetics Department, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey
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11
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Reneker JL, Kamel SJ. Climate change increases the production of female hatchlings at a northern sea turtle rookery. Ecology 2017; 97:3257-3264. [PMID: 27912005 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 09/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The most recent climate change projections show a global increase in temperatures, along with major adjustments to precipitation, throughout the 21st century. Species exhibiting temperature-dependent sex determination are highly susceptible to such changes since the incubation environment influences critical offspring characteristics such as survival and sex ratio. Here we show that the mean incubation duration of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests from a high-density nesting beach on Bald Head Island, North Carolina, USA has decreased significantly over the past 25 yr. This decrease in incubation duration is significantly positively correlated with mean air temperature and negatively correlated with mean precipitation during the nesting season. Additionally, although no change in hatching success was detected during this same period, a potentially detrimental consequence of shorter incubation durations is that they lead to the production of primarily female offspring. Given that global temperatures are predicted to increase by as much as 4°C over the next century, the mass feminization of sea turtle hatchlings is a high-priority concern. While presently limited in number, studies using long-term data sets to examine the temporal correlation between offspring characteristics and climatic trends are essential for understanding the scope and direction of climate change effects on species persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Reneker
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28409, USA
| | - S J Kamel
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28409, USA
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12
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The Maternal Legacy: Female Identity Predicts Offspring Sex Ratio in the Loggerhead Sea Turtle. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29237. [PMID: 27363786 PMCID: PMC4929680 DOI: 10.1038/srep29237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In organisms with temperature-dependent sex determination, the incubation environment plays a key role in determining offspring sex ratios. Given that global temperatures have warmed approximately 0.6 °C in the last century, it is necessary to consider how organisms will adjust to climate change. To better understand the degree to which mothers influence the sex ratios of their offspring, we use 24 years of nesting data for individual female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) observed on Bald Head Island, North Carolina. We find that maternal identity is the best predictor of nest sex ratio in univariate and multivariate predictive models. We find significant variability in estimated nest sex ratios among mothers, but a high degree of consistency within mothers, despite substantial spatial and temporal thermal variation. Our results suggest that individual differences in nesting preferences are the main driver behind divergences in nest sex ratios. As such, a female’s ability to plastically adjust her nest sex ratios in response to environmental conditions is constrained, potentially limiting how individuals behaviorally mitigate the effects of environmental change. Given that many loggerhead populations already show female-biased offspring sex ratios, understanding maternal behavioral responses is critical for predicting the future of long-lived species vulnerable to extinction.
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Telemeco RS, Gangloff EJ, Cordero GA, Mitchell TS, Bodensteiner BL, Holden KG, Mitchell SM, Polich RL, Janzen FJ. Reptile Embryos Lack the Opportunity to Thermoregulate by Moving within the Egg. Am Nat 2016; 188:E13-27. [DOI: 10.1086/686628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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14
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Önder BF, Candan O. The feminizing effect of metabolic heating in Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) clutches in the eastern Mediterranean. ZOOLOGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/09397140.2016.1202927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Betül F. Önder
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey
| | - Onur Candan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Ordu University, Ordu, Turkey
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Candan O, Kolankaya D. Sex Ratio of Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Hatchlings at Sugözü, Turkey: Higher Accuracy with Pivotal Incubation Duration. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1132.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
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16
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Sim EL, Booth DT, Limpus CJ. Incubation temperature, morphology and performance in loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtle hatchlings from Mon Repos, Queensland, Australia. Biol Open 2015; 4:685-92. [PMID: 26002933 PMCID: PMC4467188 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20148995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine turtles are vulnerable to climate change because their life history and reproduction are tied to environmental temperatures. The egg incubation stage is arguably the most vulnerable stage, because marine turtle eggs require a narrow range of temperatures for successful incubation. Additionally, incubation temperature affects sex, emergence success, morphology and locomotor performance of hatchlings. Hatchlings often experience high rates of predation in the first few hours of their life, and increased size or locomotor ability may improve their chances of survival. Between 2010 and 2013 we monitored the temperature of loggerhead (Caretta caretta; Linnaeus 1758) turtle nests at Mon Repos Rookery, and used these data to calculate a mean three day maximum temperature (T3dm) for each nest. We calculated the hatching and emergence success for each nest, then measured the mass, size and locomotor performance of hatchlings that emerged from those nests. Nests with a T3dm greater than 34°C experienced a lower emergence success and produced smaller hatchlings than nests with a T3dm lower than 34°C. Hatchlings from nests with a T3dm below 34°C performed better in crawling and swimming trials than hatchlings from nests with a T3dm above 34°C. Thus even non-lethal increases in global temperatures have the potential to detrimentally affect fitness and survival of marine turtle hatchlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L Sim
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David T Booth
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Colin J Limpus
- Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, PO Box 2454, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
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Fisher LR, Godfrey MH, Owens DW. Incubation temperature effects on hatchling performance in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). PLoS One 2014; 9:e114880. [PMID: 25517114 PMCID: PMC4269397 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 11/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Incubation temperature has significant developmental effects on oviparous animals, including affecting sexual differentiation for several species. Incubation temperature also affects traits that can influence survival, a theory that is verified in this study for the Northwest Atlantic loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). We conducted controlled laboratory incubations and experiments to test for an effect of incubation temperature on performance of loggerhead hatchlings. Sixty-eight hatchlings were tested in 2011, and 31 in 2012, produced from eggs incubated at 11 different constant temperatures ranging from 27°C to 33°C. Following their emergence from the eggs, we tested righting response, crawling speed, and conducted a 24-hour long swim test. The results support previous studies on sea turtle hatchlings, with an effect of incubation temperature seen on survivorship, righting response time, crawling speed, change in crawl speed, and overall swim activity, and with hatchlings incubated at 27°C showing decreased locomotor abilities. No hatchlings survived to be tested in both years when incubated at 32°C and above. Differences in survivorship of hatchlings incubated at high temperatures are important in light of projected higher sand temperatures due to climate change, and could indicate increased mortality from incubation temperature effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah R. Fisher
- University of Charleston South Carolina at the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Matthew H. Godfrey
- North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States of America
- Duke University Marine Lab, Nicholas School of the Environment, Beaufort, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - David W. Owens
- University of Charleston South Carolina at the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, United States of America
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