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A Bird’s Eye View: Assessing Sea Turtle Presence in Florida’s Gulf Stream and Coastal Waters
Title
A Bird’s Eye View: Assessing Sea Turtle Presence in Florida’s Gulf Stream and Coastal Waters.
Creator
Bovery, Caitlin M., Wyneken, Jeanette, Graduate College
Abstract/Description
Assessing the presence or absence of marine turtles in an open system poses both observational and analytical challenges due to the migratory nature of marine turtles and their use of large current systems. Concentrations can shift as turtles shift between oceanic and neritic stages and migrate between breeding and foraging grounds. We conducted standard aerial surveys monthly from 2011-2012 to capture seasonal snapshots of sea turtle presence. Each survey covered the area from a northern...
Show moreAssessing the presence or absence of marine turtles in an open system poses both observational and analytical challenges due to the migratory nature of marine turtles and their use of large current systems. Concentrations can shift as turtles shift between oceanic and neritic stages and migrate between breeding and foraging grounds. We conducted standard aerial surveys monthly from 2011-2012 to capture seasonal snapshots of sea turtle presence. Each survey covered the area from a northern boundary near West Palm Beach, Florida 26°43′N to a southern boundary near Miami, Florida 25°40′N, USA with transects up to 20-50 km offshore. 218 turtles were observed during the course of this study 2011: n 79; 2012: n 139. We summarize our sightings by season: Winter December-February, Spring March-May, Summer June-August, and Fall September-November to examine trends in presence of sea turtles. A variety of sizes were observed throughout the year, indicating the presence of several life stages of marine turtles in Florida’s waters during all four seasons. While it is understood that marine turtles use the waters off the eastern coast of Florida, here we document the magnitude of the shift in turtle presence each season throughout two years and where the turtles occur most frequently. Our assessment of marine turtles in the waters off of southeast Florida provide valuable metrics describing the in-water biology of these turtles and for the first time, provide a quantitative assessment of annual and inter-annual fluctuations in presence in the major current and along our coast.
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Date Issued
2014
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005804
Format
Document (PDF)
Spatial and temporal distributions of sea turtles within the Florida Current and surrounding waters and their implications for oceanic energy development
Title
Spatial and temporal distributions of sea turtles within the Florida Current and surrounding waters and their implications for oceanic energy development.
Creator
Bovery, Caitlin M., Wyneken, Jeanette, Graduate College
Date Issued
2013-04-12
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3361275
Subject Headings
Sea turtles, Florida Current, Sea turtles--Conservation
Format
Document (PDF)
Seasonal Variation in Sea Turtle Density and Abundance in the Southeast Florida Current and Surrounding Waters
Title
Seasonal Variation in Sea Turtle Density and Abundance in the Southeast Florida Current and Surrounding Waters.
Creator
Bovery, Caitlin M., Wyneken, Jeanette, Thuesen, Erik V.
Abstract/Description
Assessment and management of sea turtle populations is often limited by a lack of available data pertaining to at-sea distributions at appropriate spatial and temporal resolutions. Assessing the spatial and temporal distributions of marine turtles in an open system poses both observational and analytical challenges due to the turtles’ highly migratory nature. Surface counts of marine turtles in waters along the southern part of Florida’s east coast were made in and adjacent to the southeast...
Show moreAssessment and management of sea turtle populations is often limited by a lack of available data pertaining to at-sea distributions at appropriate spatial and temporal resolutions. Assessing the spatial and temporal distributions of marine turtles in an open system poses both observational and analytical challenges due to the turtles’ highly migratory nature. Surface counts of marine turtles in waters along the southern part of Florida’s east coast were made in and adjacent to the southeast portion of the Florida Current using standard aerial surveys during 2011 and 2012 to assess their seasonal presence. This area is of particular concern for sea turtles as interest increases in offshore energy developments, specifically harnessing the power of the Florida Current. While it is understood that marine turtles use these waters, here we evaluate seasonal variation in sea turtle abundance and density over two years. Density of sea turtles observed within the study area ranged from 0.003 turtles km-2 in the winter of 2011 to 0.064 turtles km-2 in the spring of 2012. This assessment of marine turtles in the waters off southeast Florida quantifies their in-water abundance across seasons in this area to establish baselines and inform future management strategies of these protected species.
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Date Issued
2015-12-30
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUIR000066
Format
Citation
Spatial and temporal distributions of sea turtles within the Florida current and surrounding waters
Title
Spatial and temporal distributions of sea turtles within the Florida current and surrounding waters.
Creator
Bovery, Caitlin M., Wyneken, Jeanette, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
Abstract/Description
Assessing the spatial and temporal distributions of marine turtles in an open system poses both observational and analytical challenges due to their migratory nature and use of large current systems. Concentrations of animals can shift because turtles undergo large-scale migrations and habitat shifts seasonally as well as a function of lifestage. Surface counts of marine turtles in waters off Florida’s east coast were made in and adjacent to the Florida Current using standard aerial surveys....
Show moreAssessing the spatial and temporal distributions of marine turtles in an open system poses both observational and analytical challenges due to their migratory nature and use of large current systems. Concentrations of animals can shift because turtles undergo large-scale migrations and habitat shifts seasonally as well as a function of lifestage. Surface counts of marine turtles in waters off Florida’s east coast were made in and adjacent to the Florida Current using standard aerial surveys. While it is understood that marine turtles use waters off the eastern coast of Florida, here we document the magnitude of the shift in turtle presence each season throughout a two year study and identify habitat characteristics where turtles occur most frequently. Our assessment of marine turtles in the waters off southeast Florida provide valuable metrics describing the in-water biology of sea turtles in this area to inform future management strategies of these endangered species.
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Date Issued
2014
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004083, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004083
Subject Headings
Sea turtles -- Atlantic Coast (U.S.) -- Florida -- Distribution, Sea turtles -- Atlantic Coast (U.S.) -- Florida -- Geographical distribution
Format
Document (PDF)
Insights on Immune Function in Free-Ranging Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) with and without Fibropapillomatosis
Title
Insights on Immune Function in Free-Ranging Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) with and without Fibropapillomatosis.
Creator
Justin R. Perrault, Milton Levin, Cody R. Mott, Caitlin M. Bovery, Michael J. Bresette, Ryan M. Chabot, Christopher R. Gregory, Jeffrey R. Guertin, Sarah E. Hirsch, Branson W. Ritchie, Steven T. Weege, Ryan C. Welsh, Blair E. Witherington, Annie Page-Karjian
Abstract/Description
Chelonid alphaherpesviruses 5 and 6 (ChHV5 and ChHV6) are viruses that affect wild sea turtle populations. ChHV5 is associated with the neoplastic disease fibropapillomatosis (FP), which affects green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in panzootic proportions. ChHV6 infection is associated with lung-eye-trachea disease (LETD), which has only been observed in maricultured sea turtles, although antibodies to ChHV6 have been detected in free-ranging turtles. To better understand herpesvirus prevalence...
Show moreChelonid alphaherpesviruses 5 and 6 (ChHV5 and ChHV6) are viruses that affect wild sea turtle populations. ChHV5 is associated with the neoplastic disease fibropapillomatosis (FP), which affects green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in panzootic proportions. ChHV6 infection is associated with lung-eye-trachea disease (LETD), which has only been observed in maricultured sea turtles, although antibodies to ChHV6 have been detected in free-ranging turtles. To better understand herpesvirus prevalence and host immunity in various green turtle foraging aggregations in Florida, USA, our objectives were to compare measures of innate and adaptive immune function in relation to (1) FP tumor presence and severity, and (2) ChHV5 and ChHV6 infection status. Free-ranging, juvenile green turtles (N = 45) were captured and examined for external FP tumors in Florida’s Big Bend, Indian River Lagoon, and LakeWorth Lagoon. Blood samples were collected upon capture and analyzed for ChHV5 and ChHV6 DNA, antibodies to ChHV5 and ChHV6, in vitro lymphocyte proliferation using a T-cell mitogen (concanavalin A), and natural killer cell activity. Despite an overall high FP prevalence (56%), ChHV5 DNA was only observed in one individual, whereas 20% of turtles tested positive for antibodies to ChHV5. ChHV6 DNA was not observed in any animals and only one turtle tested positive for ChHV6 antibodies. T-cell proliferation was not significantly related to FP presence, tumor burden, or ChHV5 seroprevalence; however, lymphocyte proliferation in response to concanavalin A was decreased in turtles with severe FP (N = 3). Lastly, green turtles with FP (N = 9) had significantly lower natural killer cell activity compared to FP-free turtles (N = 5). These results increase our understanding of immune system effects related to FP and provide evidence that immunosuppression occurs after the onset of FP disease.
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Date Issued
2021
PURL
http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FAUIR000555
Format
Document (PDF)