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Orientation of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles in response to the inclination of the magnetic field

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Date Issued:
1992
Summary:
Recent studies have shown that hatchling loggerhead sea turtles possess the ability to orient to the earth's magnetic field. These experiments did not identify the specific component of the field used by turtles to determine direction. One of the field's most important characteristics, inclination, has been implicated as the specific property used by birds to orient. This study investigated the possibility that sea turtles use the inclination of the earth's field in a similar manner. Results show that turtles determine direction with the use of an inclination compass similar to the one used by birds to orient. This study has important implications regarding the mechanisms used by animals to orient and navigate.
Title: Orientation of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles in response to the inclination of the magnetic field.
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Name(s): Light, Phillip Richard
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Salmon, Michael, Thesis advisor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Biological Sciences
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 1992
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, FL
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 40 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Recent studies have shown that hatchling loggerhead sea turtles possess the ability to orient to the earth's magnetic field. These experiments did not identify the specific component of the field used by turtles to determine direction. One of the field's most important characteristics, inclination, has been implicated as the specific property used by birds to orient. This study investigated the possibility that sea turtles use the inclination of the earth's field in a similar manner. Results show that turtles determine direction with the use of an inclination compass similar to the one used by birds to orient. This study has important implications regarding the mechanisms used by animals to orient and navigate.
Identifier: 14787 (digitool), FADT14787 (IID), fau:11576 (fedora)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1992.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Loggerhead turtle
Animal orientation
Magnetic fields
Sea turtles--Migration
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14787
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.