Current Search: Sea turtles--Nests. (x)
View All Items
(1 - 17 of 17)
- Title
- The effect of filtered roadway lighting on nesting by loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta L.).
- Creator
- Pennell, Jeffrey P., Florida Atlantic University, Salmon, Michael, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The purpose of this study was to determine if filtered street lighting affected the nesting behavior of loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta L.). My study site was a nesting beach at Carlin Park, Jupiter, Florida. During the 1999 nesting season, portions of the beach were either kept dark or were illuminated by four 70 W high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights, each housed in a cut-off fixture covered by an acrylic (model #2422) filter. These filters excluded all light wavelengths below...
Show moreThe purpose of this study was to determine if filtered street lighting affected the nesting behavior of loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta L.). My study site was a nesting beach at Carlin Park, Jupiter, Florida. During the 1999 nesting season, portions of the beach were either kept dark or were illuminated by four 70 W high-pressure sodium (HPS) streetlights, each housed in a cut-off fixture covered by an acrylic (model #2422) filter. These filters excluded all light wavelengths below 540 nm. The excluded wavelengths repel nesting females. Daily counts of nesting and non-nesting crawls were made. Data from the 1999 nesting season were compared to historical records of nesting at the site between 1990 and 1998. I found no evidence that filtered lights affected nesting densities, or the ratio of successful to unsuccessful crawls. These results suggest that at Carlin Park, the nesting behavior of loggerhead females is unaffected by exposure of the beach to filtered street lighting.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2000
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12720
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle, Sea turtles--Nests
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Nest caging as a sea turtle management strategy: Do the benefits outweigh the costs on urban beaches?.
- Creator
- Adamany, Stephanie Lynne., Florida Atlantic University, Salmon, Michael
- Abstract/Description
-
Caging of sea turtle nests has used by City of Boca Raton's sea turtle conservation program to deter terrestrial predators and reduce human disturbance. The juxtaposition of nest cages and artificial lighting may pose serious threats to hatchlings. I addressed possible negative effects of cages on sea turtle hatchlings' seafinding abilities and potential "cage-trapping" under natural and artificially illuminated conditions. Cages did not effect hatchling orientation on artificially...
Show moreCaging of sea turtle nests has used by City of Boca Raton's sea turtle conservation program to deter terrestrial predators and reduce human disturbance. The juxtaposition of nest cages and artificial lighting may pose serious threats to hatchlings. I addressed possible negative effects of cages on sea turtle hatchlings' seafinding abilities and potential "cage-trapping" under natural and artificially illuminated conditions. Cages did not effect hatchling orientation on artificially illuminated or dark beaches. Hatchlings did not experience any delay in cage escape on dark beaches, but a significant number were trapped inside the cages on artificially illuminated beaches. The highest incidence of trapping occurred on nights surrounding a new moon. Disoriented hatchlings exited cages either after city lighting was reduced (past midnight) or as natural levels of illumination increased shortly before sunrise. When cages were darkened all turtles escaped but many still exhibited signs of disorientation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1996
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15312
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles--Florida, Sea turtles--Nests
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The use of wire cages to protect sea turtle nests: Are there better alternatives?.
- Creator
- Mroziak, Melissa Lynn, Florida Atlantic University, Salmon, Michael
- Abstract/Description
-
The beaches of Boca Raton, Florida serve as a rookery site for three species of sea turtles, all of whom are considered either federally threatened (loggerhead) or endangered (green turtle, leatherback). At this beach, nest security was though to be compromised by both human visitors and increasing mammalian predators populations. Since 1988, the City has employed the use of square wire cages to protect the nests from both factors. Cage effectiveness was questioned due to high predation rates...
Show moreThe beaches of Boca Raton, Florida serve as a rookery site for three species of sea turtles, all of whom are considered either federally threatened (loggerhead) or endangered (green turtle, leatherback). At this beach, nest security was though to be compromised by both human visitors and increasing mammalian predators populations. Since 1988, the City has employed the use of square wire cages to protect the nests from both factors. Cage effectiveness was questioned due to high predation rates, despite caging. Evaluations to determine the effectiveness of this method were conducted. Pairs of caged (control) and uncaged (experimental) nests were established in zones reflecting high/low traffic and high/low predator attacks and monitored on a daily basis. Following emergence, nest fate comparisons were made. Decoy cages were used to determine predator efficiency. Data suggest that cages are not needed in areas of low traffic or predator attacks. Additional data suggest that cages actually attract, rather than deter, mammalian predators.
Show less - Date Issued
- 1997
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/15441
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles--Florida, Sea turtles--Nests--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys and traditional methods to examine influences on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nest site selection.
- Creator
- Manestar, Summer, Briggs, Tiffany Roberts, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Geosciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
This study examined the environmental and anthropogenic factors that may influence loggerhead sea turtle nest site selection and how these factors vary between successful nesting attempts and false crawls on a high-density sea turtle nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida. Beach morphology, sand texture, and nests’ proximity to artificial structures were measured using a combination of drone-based photogrammetry, traditional surveys with Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS),...
Show moreThis study examined the environmental and anthropogenic factors that may influence loggerhead sea turtle nest site selection and how these factors vary between successful nesting attempts and false crawls on a high-density sea turtle nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida. Beach morphology, sand texture, and nests’ proximity to artificial structures were measured using a combination of drone-based photogrammetry, traditional surveys with Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS), and sediment granulometry. Proximity to dune crossover stairs was significantly different between nests and false crawls, and the probability of a false crawl occurring decreased as proximity to dune crossover stairs increased. The results of this study will provide researchers with a new tool for nest monitoring and a better understanding of the microhabitat cues that may influence loggerhead sea turtle nest site selection and aid in guiding beach and sea turtle management decisions.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014184
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead sea turtles, Drone aircraft, Sea turtles--Nests, Geomorphology
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Relocation and Flood Impacts on Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Nest Success.
- Creator
- Esposito, Lisa Anne, Milton, Sarah L., Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Sea level rise threatens loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests laid close to the high tide line (HTL) with inundation from washover. Boca Raton, Florida is a relatively steep, dynamic beach with changes in beach morphology even during nonactive hurricane seasons. One potential solution to conserve sea turtle nests is to relocate nests laid at or below the HTL closer to the dune. In this study, I examined reproductive success for in situ vs relocated nests. Relocation did not decrease...
Show moreSea level rise threatens loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests laid close to the high tide line (HTL) with inundation from washover. Boca Raton, Florida is a relatively steep, dynamic beach with changes in beach morphology even during nonactive hurricane seasons. One potential solution to conserve sea turtle nests is to relocate nests laid at or below the HTL closer to the dune. In this study, I examined reproductive success for in situ vs relocated nests. Relocation did not decrease reproductive success, while nests left near the HTL were at risk of washout. During a dry season, nests that experienced one to three days of washover had significantly higher reproductive success than nests that experienced no washover. Relocation can be a useful method to preserve nests against sea level rise, but nonrelocated nests near the HTL may sometimes benefit from washover to cool the nests during hot and dry years.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2023
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00014177
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, Sea turtles--Nests
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The impacts of nest microenvironment on sea turtle hatchling performance and their responses to thermal stress.
- Creator
- Seaman, Heather A., Milton, Sarah, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
As climate change threatens with sea-level rise and more storms, increased erosion could increase the need for beach nourishment. Alterations to sand characteristics may result in changes to the sea turtle nest microenvironment, impacting the temperature and oxygen levels which may affect hatchling performance. In this study, leatherback, loggerhead, and green nests were sampled from two sites with different sand characteristics in Juno Beach, Florida, USA. Gas exchange was higher in green...
Show moreAs climate change threatens with sea-level rise and more storms, increased erosion could increase the need for beach nourishment. Alterations to sand characteristics may result in changes to the sea turtle nest microenvironment, impacting the temperature and oxygen levels which may affect hatchling performance. In this study, leatherback, loggerhead, and green nests were sampled from two sites with different sand characteristics in Juno Beach, Florida, USA. Gas exchange was higher in green turtle nests with a greater mixture of sediment. Darker sediment elevated nest temperatures. Finer sediment and a greater mixture of sediment in leatherback nests elevated the nest temperatures; conversely finer sediment, and a greater mixture of sediment decreased loggerhead and green nest temperatures. Elevated nest temperatures reduced leatherback, loggerhead, and green turtle hatchling performance. Understanding the relationships between beach composition, nest environment, and hatchling performance will aid management decisions essential to sea turtle conservation.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2020
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013542
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles--Nests, Thermal stress (Biology), Sea turtles--Conservation, Beach nourishment
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Nest placement by three species of sea turtles in southeast Florida, USA.
- Creator
- Wood, Lawrence D., Florida Atlantic University, Koch, Marguerite
- Abstract/Description
-
Studies of loggerhead, leatherback and green turtle nest distribution across beaches (between water and dune) have revealed conflicting random versus non-random patterns of nest placement. I examined nest placement on a southeast Florida beach (Juno and Jupiter) with average beach widths of 30 (natural) and 90 m (nourished beach) and tested slope as a proximal cue for nesting using long-term data sets and GPS technology. All three species had similar species-specific crawl lengths and nest...
Show moreStudies of loggerhead, leatherback and green turtle nest distribution across beaches (between water and dune) have revealed conflicting random versus non-random patterns of nest placement. I examined nest placement on a southeast Florida beach (Juno and Jupiter) with average beach widths of 30 (natural) and 90 m (nourished beach) and tested slope as a proximal cue for nesting using long-term data sets and GPS technology. All three species had similar species-specific crawl lengths and nest sites relative to distance from water, regardless of beach width. Loggerheads and leatherbacks crawled and nested significantly shorter median distances (8--14 m) relative to the water compared to greens (15 m), corresponding to sites of maximum productivity measured as percent hatchling success. The observed consistencies of crawl distance across all beach profiles suggest a strong evolutionary selection for a non-random crawl length at this study site, regardless of beach width and slight shifts in slope.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2004
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13185
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles--Florida--Palm Beach County, Loggerhead turtle--Florida, Sea turtles--Nests--Florida
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Measuring Nest-to-Surf Mortality of Florida’s East and West Coast Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) Hatchlings.
- Creator
- Villegas Vindiola, Brianna, Wyneken, Jeanette, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Sea turtle hatchlings emerge from their nest and quickly crawl to the surf. During the crawl, hatchlings may encounter threats, biotic and abiotic, which can affect their ability to successfully reach the surf. The impact of these threats on hatchling survival during that crawl is largely undocumented. Current methods used to estimate cohort recruitment rely heavily on nest inventory data. This method, however, does not account for post-emergent hatchling mortality that occurs during the...
Show moreSea turtle hatchlings emerge from their nest and quickly crawl to the surf. During the crawl, hatchlings may encounter threats, biotic and abiotic, which can affect their ability to successfully reach the surf. The impact of these threats on hatchling survival during that crawl is largely undocumented. Current methods used to estimate cohort recruitment rely heavily on nest inventory data. This method, however, does not account for post-emergent hatchling mortality that occurs during the crawl. During the 2017-2018 nesting seasons, I quantified the fates of 1,379 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) hatchlings from 26 nest emergences during their crawl from the nest to the surf on the east and west coasts of Florida. I documented hatchling fates at 5 Florida nesting beaches: Wabasso, Boca Raton, Keewaydin Island, Naples, and Anna Maria Island. Overall, 6.5% of all emergent hatchlings died during the crawl from the nests to the surf. Ghost crabs, night herons, foxes, and coyotes killed hatchlings and photopollution and barriers on the beach (both abiotic threats) caused hatchling mortality. Anthropogenic (abiotic) threats accounted for more mortality than did predators. In order to assess how beach urbanization impacts hatchling mortality, I categorized each study site as urban (Wabasso and Naples), intermediate (Anna Maria Island and Boca Raton), or natural (Keewaydin Island) based on the relative levels of shoreline development and human activity at each beach. Sites with intermediate levels of urbanization accounted for greater levels of hatchling mortality than at other beaches due to the absolutely larger numbers of hatchlings lost to a disorientation event and to a beach barrier. Given the small numbers of emergences, at all sites, only a small proportion of the hatchlings mortalities (e.g., between 3 and 12 percent), site type could not be rigorously used as a discriminator. My results provide a better understanding of how specific environmental threats contribute to hatchling mortality. While nest-to-surf mortality is relatively low, its cumulative costs add up to several hundreds of thousands of hatchlings. Armed with this information, nesting beach managers can assess risks and focus their efforts to implement the most effective management practices to minimize losses of this imperiled species.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013277
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle--Florida, Caretta caretta, Sea turtles--Nests, Sea turtles--Mortality
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- MULTIPLE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS PRODUCE HIGH HATCHING AND EMERGENCE SUCCESS IN NORTHWEST ATLANTIC LOGGERHEADS (CARETTA CARETTA).
- Creator
- Gravelle, Jessica, Wyneken, Jeanette, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
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, I identified five historically successful loggerhead...
Show moreSea 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, I identified five historically successful loggerhead (Caretta caretta) nesting beaches (hotspots) along the Florida (USA) Atlantic coast and measured nest environments along with nest success. Principal component analysis was used to reduce 12 environmental variables so that the relative contributions of sand characteristics, nest temperature, 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). I found that nests at subtropical sites, compared with the 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.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2022
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013900
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle--Florida, Sea turtles--Nests, Caretta caretta, Sea turtles--Habitat--Conservation
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Determination of sex ratios and their relationship to nest temperature of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta, L.) hatchlings produced along the southeastern Atlantic coast of the United States.
- Creator
- Blair, Kimberly., Florida Atlantic University, Wyneken, Jeanette
- Abstract/Description
-
The sex ratios of hatchling loggerheads (Caretta caretta) were determined to provide robust assessments of regional and seasonal contributions of males and females to the population. Hatchlings from nests along the Atlantic coastline were raised to 120 g, sexed laparoscopically and verified histologically. Sex ratios differed at the beach, subseason, and subpopulation levels. There was no difference in overall sex ratios between the two study years. Average nest temperature and incubation...
Show moreThe sex ratios of hatchling loggerheads (Caretta caretta) were determined to provide robust assessments of regional and seasonal contributions of males and females to the population. Hatchlings from nests along the Atlantic coastline were raised to 120 g, sexed laparoscopically and verified histologically. Sex ratios differed at the beach, subseason, and subpopulation levels. There was no difference in overall sex ratios between the two study years. Average nest temperature and incubation durations were not accurate sex ratio correlates. Temperatures that produced female biased or male biased sex ratios overlapped in ranges with those producing a single sex. I found that the Transitional Range of Temperatures for loggerhead sea turtles is approximately 26.5°C--32°C, and the best correlation between average temperature and sex ratio occurred at 50--65% of incubation. Further studies are needed to define the roles of other environmental factors or the responses of tissues in loggerhead sex determination.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13197
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles--Nests--United States, Sex (Biology), Sea turtles--Atlantic Coast (U S ), Loggerhead turtle--Nests, Loggerhead turtle--Breeding
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Long-term analyses (1986-2018) of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting data from Keewaydin Island, Florida.
- Creator
- Hoover, Shelby R., Salmon, Michael, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
Few studies on marine turtles focus on the variation in reproductive performance of individual females. I use a long-term nesting data set (1986 – 2018) of individual loggerheads including information on 1,854 individuals, of which 853 were seen nesting multiple times. During this time, emergence success has declined while the number of females nesting, and the number of nests deposited has increased. Declining emergence success can be linked to an increase in predation in most recent years;...
Show moreFew studies on marine turtles focus on the variation in reproductive performance of individual females. I use a long-term nesting data set (1986 – 2018) of individual loggerheads including information on 1,854 individuals, of which 853 were seen nesting multiple times. During this time, emergence success has declined while the number of females nesting, and the number of nests deposited has increased. Declining emergence success can be linked to an increase in predation in most recent years; however, this does not fully explain the decline in emergence success over all years. Females were found to vary in productivity. Successful females were larger and deposited more eggs in nests. This study shows that an increasing in nesting numbers does not mean that productivity is increasing proportionally and that recovery efforts are uniformly successful. This study is also a powerful tool for understanding the reproductive strategies of individual female loggerheads.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013381
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle--Florida, Reproduction, Sea turtles--Nests, Predation (Biology)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- THE IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ON LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE (CARETTA CARETTA) HATCHLING BIOLOGY.
- Creator
- Lolavar, Alexandra A., Wyneken, Jeanette, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Biological Sciences, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
- Abstract/Description
-
The eggs of all sea turtle species develop in underground nests on oceanic nesting beaches. Eggs are unattended and their incubation conditions are subject to effects of the environment. Nest temperature influences various aspects of hatchling biology, including sex determination. Past studies identified that sea turtle embryos have a warm female cool male response pattern and rainfall has been thought to cool nest temperature. The effects of rainfall or periods of drought were often inferred...
Show moreThe eggs of all sea turtle species develop in underground nests on oceanic nesting beaches. Eggs are unattended and their incubation conditions are subject to effects of the environment. Nest temperature influences various aspects of hatchling biology, including sex determination. Past studies identified that sea turtle embryos have a warm female cool male response pattern and rainfall has been thought to cool nest temperature. The effects of rainfall or periods of drought were often inferred but not verified. Using laboratory and field studies, I examined how changes in environmental factors during incubation, particularly sand moisture, can affect nest conditions and hatchling biology. I derived temperature-sex ratio response curves for eggs incubated at different moisture levels to determine the effect of moisture on how embryos respond to temperature. I also studied how increasing moisture levels in relocated nests through daily watering influence nest conditions and discuss if this method is an effective mitigation strategy for the detrimental effects of increasing temperatures on embryo survival and sex ratios. I investigated how environmental factors, nest conditions, and hatchling biology can differ among sites on a nesting beach. Extreme moisture conditions, both low and high, result in a narrower transition between one sex ratio bias to another. I demonstrated that watering nests decreases nest temperatures and increases hatching success but watering has a minimal impact on sex ratios. Ambient beach conditions vary slightly in air temperature, rainfall, solar radiation, and humidity, depending on beach location. Nest conditions such as nest temperature and moisture also differ, but hatching success and sex ratios do not vary among different sites on the same nesting beach in Boca Raton, Florida. Ultimately, these studies together help identify and demonstrate how these environmental factors and drivers can affect the nest environment during incubation. Further developing our understanding of environmental factors, particularly nest moisture, and their variability will provide better predictions of future climate change effects and perhaps create more effective mitigation strategies.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013390
- Subject Headings
- Loggerhead turtle, Sea turtles--Nests, Environment, Eggs--Hatchability, Eggs--Incubation, Moisture
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Sex determination of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) via hormonal analysis by high performance liquid chromatography.
- Creator
- Botterill, Brooke L., Florida Atlantic University, Milton, Sarah L.
- Abstract/Description
-
Sea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination, with males being produced at cooler temperatures and females at warmer ones. Thus, sex ratios are often estimated on average nest temperatures, but this is unreliable. Therefore, many studies have begun to look to alternative methods to identify sex ratios. Other methods used to determine sex require hatchling sacrifice or are labor intensive. This study utilized high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to investigate correlations...
Show moreSea turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination, with males being produced at cooler temperatures and females at warmer ones. Thus, sex ratios are often estimated on average nest temperatures, but this is unreliable. Therefore, many studies have begun to look to alternative methods to identify sex ratios. Other methods used to determine sex require hatchling sacrifice or are labor intensive. This study utilized high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to investigate correlations between steroid hormone levels in hatchling plasma and allantoic fluid, nest temperature and sex. Hatchling sex was determined laparoscopically to ground-truth hormone profiles. No correlation was found between hormones, nest temperature and sex. However, as hormones were readily detectable by HPLC, the technique may be applicable to juvenile or adult turtles with mature profiles.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2005
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/13284
- Subject Headings
- Sea turtles--Nests--United States, Loggerhead turtle--Breeding, Sex (Biology), High performance liquid chromatography
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Beach dynamics, beachfront development, and climate change: Interactions that impact sea turtle nesting beaches.
- Creator
- Bladow, Rachel A., Milton, Sarah L., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Climate change will expose sea turtle nests to higher temperatures and more storms; both may negatively impact sea turtle nest success. In this study, unhatched eggs were collected from the Boca Raton, Florida beach and developmental stage at embryonic death determined. Elevated nest temperatures increased embryonic mortality, and the most significant relationship was between mortality and the percent of time embryos were exposed to temperatures above 34°C. Loggerhead turtles exhibited higher...
Show moreClimate change will expose sea turtle nests to higher temperatures and more storms; both may negatively impact sea turtle nest success. In this study, unhatched eggs were collected from the Boca Raton, Florida beach and developmental stage at embryonic death determined. Elevated nest temperatures increased embryonic mortality, and the most significant relationship was between mortality and the percent of time embryos were exposed to temperatures above 34°C. Loggerhead turtles exhibited higher rates of mortality compared to green turtles at temperatures above 34°C. Only loggerhead nests were exposed to inundation, but embryonic mortality did not differ from noninundated nests. Beach profiles across the nesting season were also determined. A major storm altered the beach more in areas of coastal development; however, this was impacted by a nourishment project and the presence of a structured inlet. Future management strategies may need to protect sea turtle nests from extended periods at elevated temperatures.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00005926
- Subject Headings
- Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Sea turtles--Ecology., Loggerhead turtle--Florida., Sea turtles--Nests., Climate change
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Physiological Effects of Disorientation in Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Green (Chelonia mydas) Sea Turtle Hatchlings.
- Creator
- Pankaew, Karen, Milton, Sarah L., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Following nest emergence, sea turtle hatchling dispersal can be disrupted by artificial light or skyglow from urban areas. Mis- or disorientation increases exposure to predation, thermal stress, and dehydration, could consume valuable energy, and thus influence the likelihood of survival. This study utilized laboratory simulations of extended crawl distances and field observations to investigate the energy cost of disorientation crawling on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia...
Show moreFollowing nest emergence, sea turtle hatchling dispersal can be disrupted by artificial light or skyglow from urban areas. Mis- or disorientation increases exposure to predation, thermal stress, and dehydration, could consume valuable energy, and thus influence the likelihood of survival. This study utilized laboratory simulations of extended crawl distances and field observations to investigate the energy cost of disorientation crawling on loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtle hatchlings and the impact on the subsequent swim frenzy. Extended crawls increased oxygen consumption, decreased plasma glucose, and reduced green hatchling swim performance following a 200m crawl. Surprisingly, plasma lactate concentrations did not increase with crawl distance, likely due to frequent rest periods that would, however, increase time on the beach and thus exposure to predators. This research may provide managers with physiological data to determine best practices for sea turtle conservation and adds to the biological knowledge of these animals.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004619
- Subject Headings
- Predation (Biology), Sea turtles--Life cycles., Sea turtles--Nests--Protection., Wildlife conservation., Exterior lighting--Environmental aspects.
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- Predicting leatherback sea turtle sex ratios using spatial interpolation of nesting beach temperatures.
- Creator
- Weston, Emily G., Wyneken, Jeanette, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
Sex determination in leatherback sea turtles is directed primarily by the temperatures a clutch experiences during the middle third of development. Warmer temperatures tend to produce females will cooler temperatures yield males. Nest temperatures can vary spatially and temporally. During the 2010 and 2011 nesting seasons, this study estimated the hatchling sex ratio of leatherback sea turtles on Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (SPNWR), St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. I measured sand...
Show moreSex determination in leatherback sea turtles is directed primarily by the temperatures a clutch experiences during the middle third of development. Warmer temperatures tend to produce females will cooler temperatures yield males. Nest temperatures can vary spatially and temporally. During the 2010 and 2011 nesting seasons, this study estimated the hatchling sex ratio of leatherback sea turtles on Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (SPNWR), St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. I measured sand temperatures from May- August and across the spatial range of leatherback nesting habitat. I spatially interpolated those temperatures to create maps that predicted temperatures for all nests incubating on SPWNR. Nest temperatures were also directly measured and compared with predicted nest temperatures to validate the prediction model. Sexes of dead-in-nest hatchlings and full term embryos were used to confirm the sex-temperature response. The model showed that microclimatic variation likely impacts the production of both sexes on SPNWR.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2013
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA0004071
- Subject Headings
- Leatherback turtle -- Habitat -- St. Croix -- Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (United States Virgin Islands), Loggerhead turtle -- Effect of temperature on, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (United States Virgin Islands), Sea turtles -- Nests -- St. Croix -- Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (United States Virgin Islands), Sex determination, Genetic, Sex ratios, Vegetation dynamics
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- Title
- The distribution of predaceous fire ant species on important sea turtle nesting beaches in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
- Creator
- Balkaran, Kavita, Wetterer, James K., Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences
- Abstract/Description
-
The tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata is a New World species with a wide native range including South America as well as several Caribbean islands. The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta is native to parts of South America. Both species are known for preying on sea turtles’ eggs and hatchlings. The objectives of this thesis research were to conduct follow-up and baseline ant species distribution surveys on four sea turtle nesting beaches in St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. Tuna...
Show moreThe tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata is a New World species with a wide native range including South America as well as several Caribbean islands. The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta is native to parts of South America. Both species are known for preying on sea turtles’ eggs and hatchlings. The objectives of this thesis research were to conduct follow-up and baseline ant species distribution surveys on four sea turtle nesting beaches in St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. Tuna baits were set out at beaches; specimens were collected, frozen, preserved then identified. Results show that there was a significant change in the fire ants’ distribution at Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (SPNWR) while none were found at Jack Bay. Fire ants were also present on the other two baseline surveyed nesting beaches. The displacement of S. geminata by S. invicta was observed at SPNWR, which also was presumed by previous surveys.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004077, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004077
- Subject Headings
- Biological invasions, Fire ants -- St. Croix -- Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (United States Virgin Islands) -- Geographical distribution, Predation (Biology), Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (United States Virgin Islands), Sea turtles -- Nests -- St. Croix -- Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge (United States Virgin Islands)
- Format
- Document (PDF)
