Resource Requirements of the Pacific Leatherback Turtle Population

Jones, Timothy; Bostrom, Brian L.; Hastings, Mervin D.; Houtan, Kyle S. Van; Pauly, Daniel; Jones, David R.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0045447

Cited by 21 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 72 publications

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“…D) consistent with proposed physiological restrictions (Jones et al. ). The smallest demographics of loggerhead and green turtles are caught closer to the ocean surface in the shallow‐set fleet (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

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The developmental biogeography of hawksbill sea turtles in the North Pacific

Houtan

Francke

Alessi

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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High seas oceanic ecosystems are considered important habitat for juvenile sea turtles, yet much remains cryptic about this important life‐history period. Recent progress on climate and fishery impacts in these so‐called lost years is promising, but the developmental biogeography of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) has not been widely described in the Pacific Ocean. This knowledge gap limits the effectiveness of conservation management for this globally endangered species. We address this with 30 years of stranding observations, 20 years of bycatch records, and recent simulations of natal dispersal trajectories in the Hawaiian Archipelago. We synthesize the analyses of these data in the context of direct empirical observations, anecdotal sightings, and historical commercial harvests from the insular Pacific. We find hawksbills 0–4 years of age, measuring 8–34 cm straight carapace length, are found predominantly in the coastal pelagic waters of Hawaii. Unlike other species, we find no direct evidence of a prolonged presence in oceanic habitats, yet satellite tracks of passive drifters (simulating natal dispersal) and our small sample sizes suggest that an oceanic phase for hawksbills cannot be dismissed. Importantly, despite over 600 million hooks deployed and nearly 6000 turtle interactions, longline fisheries have never recorded a single hawksbill take. We address whether the patterns we observe are due to population size and gear selectivity. Although most sea turtle species demonstrate clear patterns of oceanic development, hawksbills in the North Pacific may by contrast occupy a variety of ecosystems including coastal pelagic waters and shallow reefs in remote atolls. This focuses attention on hazards in these ecosystems – entanglement and ingestion of marine debris – and perhaps away from longline bycatch and decadal climate regimes that affect sea turtle development in oceanic regions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…For leatherbacks, in particular, the smallest juveniles are bycaught toward the equator (Fig. 4D) consistent with proposed physiological restrictions (Jones et al 2012). The smallest demographics of loggerhead and green turtles are caught closer to the ocean surface in the shallow-set fleet (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 82%

The developmental biogeography of hawksbill sea turtles in the North Pacific

Houtan

Francke

Alessi

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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“…From a conservation perspective, considering that leatherback and loggerhead turtles are feeding on different trophic levels, and a single leatherback can consume in excess of 100 kg wet mass of jellyfish per day51, the Mozambique Channel must presumably host large abundances and a wide diversity of food. Indeed, with high levels of primary productivity, nutrient-rich river mouths and nearby areas of coastal upwelling and meso-scale eddies, these coastal waters also provide fertile foraging areas for a wide range of megafauna.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coastal leatherback turtles reveal conservation hotspot

Robinson

Morreale

Nel

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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Previous studies have shown that the world’s largest reptile – the leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea – conducts flexible foraging migrations that can cover thousands of kilometres between nesting sites and distant foraging areas. The vast distances that may be travelled by migrating leatherback turtles have greatly complicated conservation efforts for this species worldwide. However, we demonstrate, using a combination of satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis, that approximately half of the nesting leatherbacks from an important rookery in South Africa do not migrate to distant foraging areas, but rather, forage in the coastal waters of the nearby Mozambique Channel. Moreover, this coastal cohort appears to remain resident year-round in shallow waters (<50 m depth) in a relatively fixed area. Stable isotope analyses further indicate that the Mozambique Channel also hosts large numbers of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta. The rare presence of a resident coastal aggregation of leatherback turtles not only presents a unique opportunity for conservation, but alongside the presence of loggerhead turtles and other endangered marine megafauna in the Mozambique Channel, highlights the importance of this area as a marine biodiversity hotspot.

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“…, Jones et al. ). Leatherbacks avoid cooler water farther south where they forage around 19°C and generally avoid warmer water (>31°C) when breeding (Shillinger et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting residence time using a continuous‐time discrete‐space model of leatherback turtle satellite telemetry data

et al. 2019

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The utilization and capabilities of biotelemetry are expanding enormously as technology and access rapidly improve. These large, correlated datasets pose statistical challenges requiring advanced statistical techniques to appropriately interpret and model animal movement. We used satellite telemetry data of critically endangered Eastern Pacific leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) to develop a habitat‐based model of their motility (and conversely residence time) using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, which could be broadly applied across species. To account for the spatiotemporally auto‐correlated, unbalanced, and presence‐only telemetry observations, in combination with dynamic environmental variables, a novel modeling approach was applied. We expanded a Poisson generalized linear model in a continuous‐time discrete‐space (CTDS) model framework to predict individual leatherback movement based on environmental drivers, such as sea surface temperature. Population‐level movement estimates were then obtained with a Bayesian approach and used to create monthly, near real‐time predictions of Eastern Pacific leatherback movement in the South Pacific Ocean. This model framework will inform the development of a dynamic ocean management model, “South Pacific TurtleWatch (SPTW),” and could be applied to telemetry data from other populations and species to predict motility and residence times in dynamic environments, while accounting for statistical uncertainties arising at multiple stages of telemetry analysis.

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Resource Requirements of the Pacific Leatherback Turtle Population

Cited by 21 publications

References 72 publications

The developmental biogeography of hawksbill sea turtles in the North Pacific

The developmental biogeography of hawksbill sea turtles in the North Pacific

Coastal leatherback turtles reveal conservation hotspot

Predicting residence time using a continuous‐time discrete‐space model of leatherback turtle satellite telemetry data

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