Global Analysis of Anthropogenic Debris Ingestion by Sea Turtles

Abstract

Ingestion of marine debris can have lethal and sublethal effects on sea turtles and other wildlife. Although researchers have reported on ingestion of anthropogenic debris by marine turtles and implied incidences of debris ingestion have increased over time, there has not been a global synthesis of the phenomenon since 1985. Thus, we analyzed 37 studies published from 1985 to 2012 that report on data collected from before 1900 through 2011. Specifically, we investigated whether ingestion prevalence has changed over time, what types of debris are most commonly ingested, the geographic distribution of debris ingestion by marine turtles relative to global debris distribution, and which species and life-history stages are most likely to ingest debris. The probability of green (Chelonia mydas) and leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) ingesting debris increased significantly over time, and plastic was the most commonly ingested debris. Turtles in nearly all regions studied ingest debris, but the probability of ingestion was not related to modeled debris densities. Furthermore, smaller, oceanic-stage turtles were more likely to ingest debris than coastal foragers, whereas carnivorous species were less likely to ingest debris than herbivores or gelatinovores. Our results indicate oceanic leatherback turtles and green turtles are at the greatest risk of both lethal and sublethal effects from ingested marine debris. To reduce this risk, anthropogenic debris must be managed at a global level.Análisis Global de la Ingesta de Residuos Antropogénicos por Tortugas MarinasLa ingesta de residuos marinos puede tener efectos letales y subletales sobre las tortugas marinas y otros animales. Aunque hay investigadores que han reportado la ingesta de residuos antropogénicos por tortugas marinas y la incidencia de la ingesta de residuos ha incrementado con el tiempo, no ha habido una síntesis global del fenómeno desde 1985. Por esto analizamos 37 estudios publicados, desde 1985 hasta 2012, que reportan datos colectados desde antes de 1900 y a lo largo del 2011. Investigamos específicamente si el predominio de la ingesta ha cambiado con el tiempo, qué tipos de residuos se ingieren comúnmente, la distribución geográfica de la ingesta de residuos por tortugas marinas en relación a la distribución global de residuos y cuáles especies y etapas de vida tienen más probabilidad de ingerir residuos. La probabilidad de que las tortugas verdes (Chelonia mydas) y laúd (Dermochelys coriacea) ingieran escombros incrementa significativamente con el tiempo; plástico fue el residuo que más se ingirió. Las tortugas en casi todas las regiones estudiadas ingieren residuos, pero la probabilidad de ingesta no estuvo relacionada con las densidades modeladas de residuos. Además de esto, tortugas más pequeñas, en etapa oceánica de vida, tuvieron una mayor probabilidad de ingerir residuos que las tortugas forrajeras terrestres, mientras que las especies carnívoras tuvieron menos probabilidad de ingerir residuos que las herbívoras o las gelatinívoras. Nuest...

A global review of marine turtle entanglement in anthropogenic debris: a baseline for further action

“…Megafauna such as marine turtles with complex life histories and highly mobile behaviour are particularly vulnerable to its impacts (Schuyler et al 2014).…”

“…Studies are currently underway to understand the selective mechanisms that lead to ingestion of plastic pieces (Schuyler et al 2014(Schuyler et al , N elms et al 2016. For instance, a study by Santos et al (2016) used Thayer's law of countershading to assess differences in the conspicuousness of plastic debris to infer the likelihood that visual foragers (sea turtles) would detect and possibly ingest the plastic fragments.…”

Animal cognition in a human-dominated world

“…Estimates put the number of amphibians killed per year on Australian roads at 5 million (Seiler 2003). The likelihood of a green turtle erroneously ingesting plastic debris, often by mistaking them for food, rose from 30% in 1985 to almost 50% in 2012 (Schuyler et al 2013). Human-induced rapid environmental change (HIREC, sensu Sih et al 2011) is filling animals' environments with new threats which bear little or excessive similarity to those they have encountered in their evolutionary history (Dwernychuk and Boag 1972;Patten and Kelley 2010;Witherington 1997).…”

Foreign Body Ingestion and Treatment Methods in Sea Turtles

“…Caretta caretta'lar etçil beslenme şekline sahiptir. 9 Chelonia mydas'lar, "yeşil deniz kaplumbağası" olarak bilinmektedir. Bu kaplumbağalar su sı-caklığının 20°C'nin üzerinde olduğu tüm denizlerDuygu SEZER ve ark.…”

“…Chelonia mydas'ların gelişmekte olan bireyleri etçil, erişkin-leri ise otçul olarak beslenir. 9,10 Ülkemizde anaç deniz kaplumbağaları, yumurtalarını güvenli bir yere bırakmak amacıyla Nisan-Ağustos ayları arasında kıyıya çıkmaktadır. Ancak, bu dönem onların yaşamsal olarak tehdit altında oldukları bir zamana denk gelmektedir.…”