High beach temperatures increased female-biased primary sex ratios but reduced output of female hatchlings in the leatherback turtle

Tomillo, Pilar Santidrián; Oro, Daniel; Paladino, Frank V.; Piedra, Rotney; Sieg, Annette E.; Spotila, James R.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2014.05.011

Cited by 68 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 35 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Just 3 days above 34 can be lethal (Maulany, Booth & Baxter 2012), and extended periods at sublethal temperatures as low as 32-33°C have been shown to produce impaired locomotion of hatchlings causing emergence failure from their nests (Segura & Cajade 2010). In one species, temperatures of only 30-32°C reduced hatching success and nest emergence (Santidrian Tomillo et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Predicting climate warming effects on green turtle hatchling viability and dispersal performance

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary1. Ectotherms are taxa considered highly sensitive to rapid climate warming. This is because body temperature profoundly governs their performance, fitness and life history. Yet, while several modelling approaches currently predict thermal effects on some aspects of life history and demography, they do not consider how temperature simultaneously affects developmental success and offspring phenotypic performance, two additional key attributes that are needed to comprehensively understand species responses to climate warming. 2. Here, we developed a stepwise, individual-level modelling approach linking biophysical and developmental models with empirically derived performance functions to predict the effects of temperature-induced changes to offspring viability, phenotype and performance, using green sea turtle hatchlings as an ectotherm model. Climate warming is expected to particularly threaten sea turtles, as their life-history traits may preclude them from rapid adaptation. 3. Under conservative and extreme warming, our model predicted large effects on performance attributes key to dispersal, as well as a reduction in offspring viability. Forecast sand temperatures produced smaller, weaker hatchlings, which were up to 40% slower than at present, albeit with increased energy stores. Conversely, increases in sea surface temperatures aided swimming performance. 4. Our exploratory study points to the need for further development of integrative individualbased modelling frameworks to better understand the complex outcomes of climate change for ectotherm species. Such advances could better serve ecologists to highlight the most vulnerable species and populations, encouraging prioritization of conservation effort to the most threatened systems.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In one species, temperatures of only 30–32 °C reduced hatching success and nest emergence (Santidrian Tomillo et al . ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Predicting climate warming effects on green turtle hatchling viability and dispersal performance

et al. 2015

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Relatively few studies have inferred the sex ratio of marine turtle populations; however, the majority of these report female‐biased primary sex ratios which are expected to skew further with climate warming (Fuentes et al., ; Hawkes et al., ; Katselidis, Schofield, Stamou, Dimopoulos, & Pantis, ; Patino‐Martinez, Marco, Quiñones, & Hawkes, ; Reneker & Kamel, ), and incubation temperatures above a certain threshold are expected to reduce clutch survival (Hays et al., ; Santidrián Tomillo et al., ), and hatchling locomotor ability (Booth & Evans, ; Fuentes, Hamann, & Limpus, ). Significant losses of 8%–65% of nesting habitat are predicted for several sea turtle rookeries, under climate change scenarios of median severity (Baker, Littnan, & Johnston, ; Fish et al., , ; Fuentes, Limpus, Hamann, & Dawson, ; Katselidis, Schofield, Stamou, Dimopoulos, & Pantis, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change resilience of a globally important sea turtle nesting population

Patrício

Varela

Barbosa

et al. 2018

Global Change Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Few studies have looked into climate change resilience of populations of wild animals. We use a model higher vertebrate, the green sea turtle, as its life history is fundamentally affected by climatic conditions, including temperature‐dependent sex determination and obligate use of beaches subject to sea level rise (SLR). We use empirical data from a globally important population in West Africa to assess resistance to climate change within a quantitative framework. We project 200 years of primary sex ratios (1900–2100) and create a digital elevation model of the nesting beach to estimate impacts of projected SLR. Primary sex ratio is currently almost balanced, with 52% of hatchlings produced being female. Under IPCC models, we predict: (a) an increase in the proportion of females by 2100 to 76%–93%, but cooler temperatures, both at the end of the nesting season and in shaded areas, will guarantee male hatchling production; (b) IPCC SLR scenarios will lead to 33.4%–43.0% loss of the current nesting area; (c) climate change will contribute to population growth through population feminization, with 32%–64% more nesting females expected by 2120; (d) as incubation temperatures approach lethal levels, however, the population will cease growing and start to decline. Taken together with other factors (degree of foraging plasticity, rookery size and trajectory, and prevailing threats), this nesting population should resist climate change until 2100, and the availability of spatial and temporal microrefugia indicates potential for resilience to predicted impacts, through the evolution of nest site selection or changes in nesting phenology. This represents the most comprehensive assessment to date of climate change resilience of a marine reptile using the most up‐to‐date IPCC models, appraising the impacts of temperature and SLR, integrated with additional ecological and demographic parameters. We suggest this as a framework for other populations, species and taxa.

show abstract

“…The nesting grounds of sea turtles are mainly located in the tropical and subtropical areas, which are highly influenced by variable climatic conditions among seasons, such as the ENSO (Santidrián Tomillo et al ., ) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) (Ottersen et al ., ), which represent the dominant climate pattern in the North Atlantic region (Hurrell et al ., ; Stenseth et al ., ). Taking into account that female reproductive output depends on climatic conditions, such as temperature (Matsuzawa et al ., ; Santidrián Tomillo et al ., , ,b; Pike, Roznik & Bell, ) and precipitation (Houghton et al ., ; Saba et al ., ), extreme climatic events might affect the mortality of nests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of extreme climatic events resulting in prolonged precipitation on the reproductive output of sea turtles

Rivas

Spínola

Arrieta

et al. 2018

Animal Conservation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Anthropogenic climate change is predicted to increase the variation in storm patterns in some areas in the coming decades. This variation in mean rainfall and increase in mean temperature could increase the extinction risk of species with temperaturedependent sex determination. Taking into account that sea turtle reproductive output depends on climatic conditions, such as precipitation and temperature, extreme climatic events could affect the mortality of eggs and hatchlings. Our main goal was to assess the effects of extreme climatic events resulting in prolonged precipitation episodes on the reproductive output of leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea and how these events might reduce hatchling production. To study how short periods of protracted rainfall affect leatherback turtle reproductive output, we recorded (1) the hatching success of n = 48 nests located at 50, 75 and 90 cm depths under sun and shaded treatments from 2013 to 2015 at the Pacuare Reserve in Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, (2) the water table level and (3) sand moisture at 10, 25, 50, 75 and 100 cm depths. In addition, we assessed changes in seasonal precipitation, nest abundance and the annual hatching success of leatherbacks over time. The results show that prolonged precipitation significantly influenced hatching success. Protracted rainfall increased the water table levels and sand moisture in some places, which consequently increased egg mortality in deeper nests. These effects may be higher considering the expected increase in storm frequency. Thus, the assessment of the effects of these extreme events on nesting grounds is necessary to predict the potential extinction risk of sea turtle populations.

show abstract

High beach temperatures increased female-biased primary sex ratios but reduced output of female hatchlings in the leatherback turtle

Cited by 68 publications

References 35 publications

Predicting climate warming effects on green turtle hatchling viability and dispersal performance

Predicting climate warming effects on green turtle hatchling viability and dispersal performance

Climate change resilience of a globally important sea turtle nesting population

Effect of extreme climatic events resulting in prolonged precipitation on the reproductive output of sea turtles

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About