Factors affecting population dynamics of eastern pacific leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria del Pilar Santidrián Tomillo
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Factors Affecting

scholarly journals On the dispersal of leatherback turtle hatchlings from Mesoamerican nesting beaches

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1737) ◽  
pp. 2391-2395 ◽  
Author(s):  
George L. Shillinger ◽  
Emanuele Di Lorenzo ◽  
Hao Luo ◽  
Steven J. Bograd ◽  
Elliott L. Hazen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Early Life History ◽  
Eastern Pacific ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Leatherback Turtle ◽  
Emergence Period ◽  
Eddy Transport ◽  
Nesting Beaches

So little is known about the early life history of leatherback turtles ( Dermochelys coriacea ) from hatchling to adulthood that this period has been termed the ‘lost years’. For critically endangered eastern Pacific leatherback populations, continued and rapid declines underscore the urgent need to develop conservation strategies across all life stages. We investigate leatherback hatchling dispersal from four Mesoamerican nesting beaches using passive tracer experiments within a regional ocean modelling system. The evolution of tracer distribution from each of the nesting beaches showed the strong influence of eddy transport and coastal currents. Modelled hatchlings from Playa Grande, Costa Rica, were most likely to be entrained and transported offshore by large-scale eddies coincident with the peak leatherback nesting and hatchling emergence period. These eddies potentially serve as ‘hatchling highways’, providing a means of rapid offshore transport away from predation and a productive refuge within which newly hatched turtles can develop. We hypothesize that the most important leatherback nesting beach remaining in the eastern Pacific (Playa Grande) has been evolutionarily selected as an optimal nesting site owing to favourable ocean currents that enhance hatchling survival.

scholarly journals Large-scale movements and high-use areas of western Pacific leatherback turtles,Dermochelys coriacea

Ecosphere ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (7) ◽  
pp. art84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott R. Benson ◽  
Tomoharu Eguchi ◽  
Dave G. Foley ◽  
Karin A. Forney ◽  
Helen Bailey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Western Pacific ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles

scholarly journals Status of Marine Turtles in British Columbia Waters: A Reassessment

2004 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald F. McAlpine ◽  
Stan A. Orchard ◽  
Kelly A. Sendall ◽  
Rod Palm
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Marine Turtle ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Concerted Effort ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Marine Turtles ◽  
Green Turtles

Marine turtles in British Columbia have previously been considered off course stragglers. Here we document 20 new reports for Green Turtles, Chelonia mydas, and Leatherback Turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, for the province. Until recently there had been no concerted effort to acquire data on marine turtle abundance or frequency off British Columbia. Observations presented here allow a reassessment of marine turtle status in British Columbia waters. We suggest Green Turtles and Leatherbacks should be considered rare vagrants and uncommon seasonal residents, respectively, off British Columbia and that they are a natural part of the British Columbia marine environment.

scholarly journals Population Dynamics Based on Resource Availability & Founding Effects: Live & Computational Models

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (5) ◽  
pp. 396-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Potter ◽  
Rebecca M. Krall ◽  
Susan Mayo ◽  
Diane Johnson ◽  
Kim Zeidler-Watters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Computer Literacy ◽  
Computational Models ◽  
Computational Simulation ◽  
School Science ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
High School Science ◽  
Initial Population ◽  
College Level ◽  
Factors Affecting

With the looming global population crisis, it is more important now than ever that students understand what factors influence population dynamics. We present three learning modules with authentic, student-centered investigations that explore rates of population growth and the importance of resources. These interdisciplinary modules integrate biology, mathematics, and computer-literacy concepts aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. The activities are appropriate for middle and high school science classes and for introductory college-level biology courses. The modules incorporate experimentation, data collection and analysis, drawing conclusions, and application of studied principles to explore factors affecting population dynamics in fruit flies. The variables explored include initial population structure, food availability, and space of the enclosed population. In addition, we present a computational simulation in which students can alter the same variables explored in the live experimental modules to test predictions on the consequences of altering the variables. Free web-based graphing (Joinpoint) and simulation software (NetLogo) allows students to work at home or at school.

scholarly journals The Effects of Nest Location and Beach Environment on Hatching Success for Leatherback (Dermochelys Coriacea) and Green (Chelonia Mydas) Sea Turtles on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Callie A. Veelenturf ◽  
Elizabeth M. Sinclair ◽  
Peter Leopold ◽  
Frank V. Paladino ◽  
Shaya Honarvar
Keyword(s):  
Green Turtle ◽  
Hatching Success ◽  
Sea Turtles ◽  
Chelonia Mydas ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Equatorial Guinea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Nest Location ◽  
Bioko Island ◽  
Elevation Range

Abstract Hatching success in sea turtles is hindered by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors. This study of the nesting ecology of leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles, investigated how several environmental factors and beach characteristics on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea influence sea turtle reproductive success. Average clutch hatching success was 40.4% for green turtles and 41.73% for leatherback turtles. For leatherback turtles, clutch elevation relative to the high tide line (HTL) was found to be the most influential factor in determining hatching success, highlighting the sensitivity of this species to sea level rise (SLR). Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that nest distance to vegetation and sand conductivity also played significant roles in leatherback clutch hatching success. For leatherback clutches, 33% percent of experimental nests were affected by inundation and 17% by predation. An optimum clutch elevation range for leatherback turtles was identified, where a distinct increase in hatching success was observed between -0.286 m to -0.0528 m above the HTL. For green sea turtles, 64% of experimental nests were affected by predation, confounding conclusions about the roles of environmental characteristics in green turtle hatching success. We propose further investigation into influential characteristics in green turtle nests and confirmation of the observed optimum elevation range on Bioko Island and other nesting grounds. Identified sensitivities of each species to SLR and beach characteristics will be used to encourage the government of Equatorial Guinea to consider the vulnerability of their resident turtle populations when planning for future coastal development.

scholarly journals A long-term decline in the abundance of endangered leatherback turtles, Dermochelys coriacea, at a foraging ground in the California Current Ecosystem

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. e01371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott R. Benson ◽  
Karin A. Forney ◽  
Jeffrey E. Moore ◽  
Erin L. LaCasella ◽  
James T. Harvey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
California Current ◽  
Dermochelys Coriacea ◽  
Leatherback Turtles
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