Sea Turtles as Biological Transporters of Nutrients and Energy from Marine to Terrestrial Ecosystems

Bouchard, Sarah S.; Bjorndal, Karen A.

doi:10.2307/177116

Cited by 34 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Trindade Island, where a large amount of offspring hatch during four months every year (Moreira et al, 1995), is the third largest reproductive site of C. mydas in the Atlantic ocean (Seminoff, 2002). Sea turtle hatchlings are known as a seasonal resource of high energy value for many opportunistic predators (Bouchard & Bjorndal, 2000). Considering the high abundance of C. fulva and that 9% of the sampled individuals were found to feed on green turtles, their estimated predation pressure on green turtles could be reasonably high around the shallow habitats of Trindade Island.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution and diet of Cephalopholis fulva (Ephinephelidae) at Trindade Island, Brazil

et al. 2012

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In this study we analyze the population structure and diet of the coney Cephalopholis fulva at Trindade Island, Brazil, through direct observation with SCUBA diving in 11 reef sites around the Island, up to 50 m deep. Diet was based on 77 individuals collected with speargun. Mean population density and biomass were estimated at 29 individuals/100 m 2 and 13 kg/100 m 2 , respectively. This species is regularly distributed along the costal environments of the Trindade Island, with no significant differences in densities and biomass detected among the different collection habitats (reef crest, reef slope, and reef plateau). However, significantly higher densities were observed micro-habitats with greater structural complexity, which may offer more shelter and food to C. fulva. Four food item groups were identified from the gut contents of C. fulva: Annelida, Crustacea, Teleostei, and Testudinata. It is the first record of predation of the green turtle Chelonia mydas hatchlings by the coney. Trindade Island seems to present the densest concentration of C. fulva in all Brazilian and Caribbean ecosystems inhabited by this species. Scarcity of competitors, predators, and fishing pressure may explain the high densities observed in the Island.Foram analisadas a estrutura populacional e a dieta do catuá Cephalopholis fulva na Ilha da Trindade, Brasil. Os dados foram obtidos através de censos visuais com mergulho autônomo em 11 locais no entorno da ilha, em profundidades de até 50 m. A dieta e a proporção sexual foram baseadas na análise de 77 indivíduos coletados com arpão. A densidade populacional e biomassa foram estimados em 29 indivíduos/m² e 13 kg/100 m², respectivamente. A espécie apresentou distribuição uniforme nos ambientes costeiros da ilha, não tendo sido registradas diferenças significativa em sua densidade e biomassa entre os diferentes habitats estudados (crista, talude e platô recifal). Entretanto, foi observado preferência por micro-habitats de alta complexidade estrutural. Foram registrados quatro grupos de itens alimentares no conteúdo estomacal de C. fulva: Annelida, Crustacea, Teleostei e Testudinata. É feito aqui o primeiro registro de predação de juvenis da tartaruga-verde (Chelonia mydas) por C. fulva. Trindade parece apresentar os maiores valores de densidade para o catuá, quando comparada a outras localidades do Brasil e Caribe. A escassez de competidores, predadores e a pressão pesqueira são possíveis fatores que podem explicar as altas densidades observadas para C. fulva na Ilha da Trindade.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution and diet of Cephalopholis fulva (Ephinephelidae) at Trindade Island, Brazil

et al. 2012

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“…Experimental mani pulation is particularly difficult for highly mobile and large-bodied marine vertebrates, such as sea turtles. Sea turtles play key roles in coastal and coral reef ecosystem function, with direct links between green turtles Chelonia mydas and seagrass productivity through herbivory (Thayer et al 1984, Moran & Bjorndal 2005 and indirect links for all species of sea turtles to nutrient cycling through nesting activities on beaches (Bouchard & Bjorndal 2000, Bjorndal & Jackson 2003.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat selection by green turtles in a spatially heterogeneous benthic landscape in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Fujisaki¹,

Hart²,

Sartain-Iverson³

2016

Aquat. Biol.

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We examined habitat selection by green turtles Chelonia mydas at Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida, USA. We tracked 15 turtles (6 females and 9 males) using platform transmitter terminals (PTTs); 13 of these turtles were equipped with additional acoustic transmitters. Location data by PTTs comprised periods of 40 to 226 d in varying months from 2009 to 2012. Core areas were concentrated in shallow water (mean bathymetry depth of 7.7 m) with a comparably dense coverage of seagrass; however, the utilization distribution overlap index indicated a low degree of habitat sharing. The probability of detecting a turtle on an acoustic receiver was inversely associated with the distance from the receiver to turtle capture sites and was lower in shallower water. The estimated daily detection probability of a single turtle at a given acoustic station throughout the acoustic array was small (< 0.1 in any year), and that of multiple turtle detections was even smaller. However, the conditional probability of multiple turtle detections, given at least one turtle de tection at a receiver, was much higher despite the small number of tagged turtles in each year (n = 1 to 5). Also, multiple detections of different turtles at a receiver frequently occurred within a few minutes (40%, or 164 of 415, occurred within 1 min). Our numerical estimates of core area overlap, co-occupancy probabilities, and habitat characterization for green turtles could be used to guide conservation of the area to sustain the population of this species.

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“…They help maintain sea grass meadows and coral reefs by grazing on sea grass plots and sponges, respectively (Bjorndal 1980), they provide transportation for epibionts, and their egg clutches and dead hatchlings provide nutrients to beach and dune vegetation (Bouchard and Bjorndal 2000;Hannan et al 2007). Sea turtles also have important cultural, social, and economic significance (Campbell 2002;Campbell and Smith 2006).…”

Section: Species Highlight -Sea Turtles and Climate Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Climate Change Impacts on Florida’s Biodiversity and Ecology

Stys¹,

Foster²,

Fuentes³

et al. 2017

Florida’s Climate: Changes, Variations, &Amp; Impacts

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Florida's rich biodiversity is the product of climatic conditions Key Messages Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity and Ecology• Climate change has differential impacts on: coastal ecosystems, freshwater wetlands, and upland ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems, in particular, are subject to the "squeeze" of human impacts, changing climate, and rising sea levels.• The Florida Keys and the Everglades are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise over the next 50 to 100 years due to their low elevation (typically less than 1 m).• Out of 1,200 species tracked by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 25% are likely to lose at least half of their current habitat due to sea level rise alone.• Florida's species have migrated and adapted to climate change in the past, but that ability is severely compromised now due largely to human modification of the landscape. Up to 76% of 236 surveyed species were deemed unlikely to be able to relocate inland in response to rising sea level.• Several keystone species are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and the loss of these species can have cascading impacts on natural communities.• Sea turtles are likely to respond to climate change through altered sex ratios of hatchlings, northward movements of rookeries, decreased reproductive output due to storm events, and potential shifts in foraging ground locations. • BETH STYS ET AL.• Phenology, or the timing of life history events, are likely to change in response to climate shifts, both as the climate becomes warmer but also as it becomes more variable. This is particularly true for plants and can cause major disruptions to co-evolutionary relationships, such as those between pollinators and the plants they pollinate. Existing Stressors and Climate Change• Habitat loss and degradation are the leading causes of extinctions in Florida and globally.The impacts of climate change on species and natural communities are greatly magnified by decreased adaptive capacity due to habitat loss and degradation.• Many invasive species are projected to have enhanced fitness under future climate change scenarios, potentially causing greater disruption to natural communities.• Climate change is projected to increase the vulnerability of native species to foreign and domestic pathogens and parasites.• Overexploited species have diminished capacity to adapt to climate change, making them especially vulnerable. Preserving Biodiversity for the Future• Planning for climate change involves impact assessments, adaptation scenario planning, and research and monitoring.• While many of the ways in which species and natural communities respond to climate change are gradual, other changes can be abrupt and non-linear. These so-called thresholds, trigger points, or paradigm shifts are harder to predict, but are often more consequential than linear patterns of change through time.

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Sea Turtles as Biological Transporters of Nutrients and Energy from Marine to Terrestrial Ecosystems

Cited by 34 publications

References 30 publications

Spatial distribution and diet of Cephalopholis fulva (Ephinephelidae) at Trindade Island, Brazil

Spatial distribution and diet of Cephalopholis fulva (Ephinephelidae) at Trindade Island, Brazil

Habitat selection by green turtles in a spatially heterogeneous benthic landscape in Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Climate Change Impacts on Florida’s Biodiversity and Ecology

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