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The effects of large beach debris on nesting sea turtles

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... In addition, dFADs stranded in shorelines and nearshore habitats could have indirect impacts on critical nesting or coral reef habitats for sea turtles. Although no one has investigated the specific impact of stranded dFADs on sea turtle nesting, other large debris on nesting beaches has been shown to deter sea turtles from nesting (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Laurance et al., 2008). ...
... Several important nesting habitats for both the hawksbill and leatherback turtles occur on the Central American coast. The dFAD strandings in this area could therefore interfere with the nesting or early development of sea turtles (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Laurance et al., 2008). ...
... Moderate connectivity of vFADs from the WPCO was seen for this nesting region (maximum of 4.6% from scenario 2). Although the impact of stranded dFADs is unknown, other large marine debris deter the nesting of sea turtles or reduce hatchling survival (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Laurance et al., 2008). ...
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Purse‐seine fishers using drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs), mainly built with bamboo, plastic buoys, and plastic netting, to aggregate and catch tropical tuna, deploy 46,000–65,000 dFADs per year in the Pacific Ocean. Some of the major concerns associated with this widespread fishing device are potential entanglement of sea turtles and other marine fauna in dFAD netting; marine debris and pollution; and potential ecological damage via stranding on coral reefs, beaches, and other essential habitats for marine fauna. To assess and quantify the potential connectivity (number of dFADs deployed in an area and arriving in another area) between dFAD deployment areas and important oceanic or coastal habitat of critically endangered leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean, we conducted passive‐drift Lagrangian experiments with simulated dFAD drift profiles and compared them with known important sea turtle areas. Up to 60% of dFADs from equatorial areas were arriving in essential sea turtle habitats. Connectivity was less when only areas where dFADs are currently deployed were used. Our simulations identified potential regions of dFAD interactions with migration and feeding habitats of the east Pacific leatherback turtle in the tropical southeastern Pacific Ocean; coastal habitats of leatherback and hawksbill in the western Pacific (e.g., archipelagic zones of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Solomon Islands); and foraging habitat of leatherback in a large equatorial area south of Hawaii. Additional research is needed to estimate entanglements of sea turtles with dFADs at sea and to quantify the likely changes in connectivity and distribution of dFADs under new management measures, such as use of alternative nonentangling dFAD designs that biodegrade, or changes in deployment strategies, such as shifting locations.
... Although some direct links have been made between anthropogenic activities and declines in marine turtle populations (Chaloupka and Limpus 2001), many indirect impacts are yet to be investigated. One of these threats is accumulated beach organic material, specifically beach-washed timber logs, because such logs may disrupt the nesting attempts of marine turtles (Laurance et al. 2008;Pikesley et al. 2013;Fujisaki and Lamont 2016;Patino-Martinez et al. 2017). ...
... Several studies outside of Australia have specifically examined the effect of beach-washed logs and other physical barriers (e.g. sea walls and pilings) on marine turtle nesting (Bouchard et al. 1998;Mosier and Witherington 2002;Laurance et al. 2008;Rizkalla and Savage 2010;Witherington et al. 2011;Fujisaki and Lamont 2016;Patino-Martinez et al. 2017). The effects of timber logs on nesting beaches of the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) in Gabon have been previously quantified: logs that had washed up along nesting beaches caused disruption or abandonment of 8-14% of nesting attempts and had a 1% fatality rate, disorientating or trapping females (Laurance et al. 2008). ...
... The presence of logs from logging concessions and their effects on marine turtle nesting behaviour have been explored for leatherback turtles in both Colombia (Patino-Martinez et al. 2017) and Gabon (Laurance et al. 2008;Pikesley et al. 2013), as well as for loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta in Florida in the US (Fujisaki and Lamont 2016). Large debris can alter the spatial distribution of nesting attempts by influencing nest site selection (Fujisaki and Lamont 2016). ...
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Globally, beach-washed logs have been shown to negatively affect marine turtle nesting, but the effects and origin of beach-washed logs on remote beaches in Australia have not yet been investigated. This study presents a novel investigation into the species and origin of timber logs washed ashore on an endangered marine turtle nesting beach at Milman Island, in the Great Barrier Reef, and their potential impact on nesting attempts. A spatial analysis of the coincidence of beach-washed logs and nesting attempts highlighted several areas around Milman Island that should be prioritised for future action to remove high-impact logs. Probable log origin was determined by tree species analysis and validated through ocean current modelling. This indicated that timber species found on Milman Island had a probable origin in the Coral Sea, including Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Manipulative experiments involving the presence or absence of beach-washed logs could be the next step in further understanding the relationship between the nesting behaviour of the Eretmochelys imbricata population on Milman Island and beach-washed logs.
... Due to the abundance and persistence of AMD, it can have serious impacts on coastal areas and human safety, affecting the aesthetic characteristics of beaches and impacting local economies (Engler, 2012;Gregory, 2009;Laist, 1987;Sheavly and Register, 2007;Smith et al., 1997). AMD is also an issue to several marine species, including threatened marine turtles, through entanglement, ingestion, and occurrence/presence in feeding and nesting areas (Bugoni et al., 2001;Gall and Thompson, 2015;Schuyler et al., 2014a, Newman et al., 2015 Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Scientific and Technical Advisory Habitat for marine turtles often overlaps with AMD, posing threats in their oceanic, neritic, and terrestrial environments (Freire De Carvalho-Souza et al., 2016;Gaëlle et al., 2017;Nelms et al., 2016, Fujisaki andLamont, 2016). In the ocean, marine turtles are at risk of ingesting AMD which often resembles their food items (Gall and Thompson, 2015;Schuyler et al., 2014b). ...
... Additionally, entanglement of marine turtles in AMD (especially fishing gear) is common and can cause harmful lacerations, impact feeding and predator avoidance, and cause drowning and suffocation (Derraik, 2002;Duncan et al., 2017). AMD is also found at marine turtle nesting beaches globally, where nesting females, hatchlings, and eggs can be impacted through obstructions, entanglement, and changes in the nesting environment (Beckwith and Fuentes, 2018;Freire De Carvalho-Souza et al., 2016;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016;Ivar do Sul et al., 2011;Kühn et al., 2015;Chacón-Chaverri and Eckert, 2007;Özdilek et al., 2006;Triessnig et al., 2012). In particular, the incubating environment of marine turtles may also be affected by plastic as it can alter the overall temperature and chemical properties of the sand (Beckwith and Fuentes, 2018;Carson et al., 2011;Oehlmann et al., 2009). ...
... To mitigate the impacts of AMD on marine turtles, it is necessary to monitor the abundance and distribution of AMD at their habitat. The presence and abundance of AMD in the ocean has been well documented (Darmon et al., 2017;Díaz-Torres et al., 2017;Di Mauro et al., 2017;Schuyler et al., 2015), however limited information exists on the exposure of marine turtle nesting beaches to AMD (although see - Aguilera et al., 2018;Beckwith and Fuentes, 2018;Carson et al., 2011;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). Here, we conducted a standardized surveys of the abundance and distribution of AMD at the ten highest Table 1). ...
... In recent years, the research on the impact of beach debris on sea turtles is increasing, mainly focusing on the types and distribution of beach debris at nesting grounds [14,15], the impact of beach debris on sea turtles' nesting and hatching [6,10], source analysis and speculation of debris [16], and suggestions on beach debris treatment [17]. Therefore, marine debris has become an important indicator for habitat quality assessment of sea turtle nesting grounds [10]. ...
... Regular removal of beach debris is an effective strategy to decrease the debris and improve habitat quality [17]. The different density of beach debris among the 13 nesting grounds is related to the beach functional type and the intensity of beach cleaning. ...
Article
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Hainan Island used to be the most important nesting ground of green turtles in China before they disappeared about 37 years ago. Habitat degradation is one of the main reasons for the disappearance of sea turtles. Therefore, it is necessary to take action to evaluate and recover the historical nesting grounds if we hope for sea turtles to return in the future. In this study, we surveyed the beach debris on 13 historical nesting grounds of green sea turtles on Hainan Island. The beach debris on these nesting grounds mainly consisted of plastic, cigarette butts, foam, glass, and nylon, with plastic (including plastic blocks, cigarette butts, and foam) being the dominant type, accounting for 78.92% in number, followed by glass. The average density of beach debris was 0.314 pieces·m−2. Compared to other nesting grounds, the average quantity and density of beach debris in Hainan was lower, but the proportion of plastic debris was extremely high. After categorizing debris type, we found that most was from human coastal activities (35.54%), with debris at tourist beaches having the biggest proportion of debris from smoking supplies. The distribution characteristics of beach debris were related to the function of the beach, density of tourist, and the intensity of beach debris cleaning. It is recommended to further strengthen the emission reduction and clean-up of beach debris in Hainan Island, so as to restore the nesting habitat of sea turtles as soon as possible.
... Large debris deposited on the sand also impose adverse effects on sea turtle nesting females and hatchlings [90,96,97]. The ratio between the amount of hatchling tracks reaching the end of the permanently wet area line and the total number of eggshells was used as a proxy of success rates of the green turtle Chelonia mydas (Linnaeus, 1758) in Turkey beaches [97]. ...
... Similarly, the highest concentrations of plastics along the tracks of looping (i.e., females crawling on sand and returning to the sea without nesting) green turtles was observed, compared to tracks where turtles successfully nested (i.e., eggs laid in a completed chamber) [90]. Large natural and anthropogenic debris were experimentally removed from one of three sections of loggerhead sea turtle Caretta Linnaeus, 1758 nesting beaches in northwest Florida, and as a consequence, the number of nests increased by 200% [96]. These is strong evidence that macroplastics have adverse impacts on sea turtle nesting behavior, and removal of large debris from nesting grounds could be an effective management action. ...
Article
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In order to identify how research contributes to the knowledge of marine litter as a pressure on beaches, we reviewed interactions of beach fauna with this pollutant. Entanglement of pinnipeds in fishing gear, negative correlations between macroinvertebrates abundance and sediment pollution, and the presence of plastic surrounding burrows were primary evidence of beach fauna interacting with stranded litter. Ingestion represents the main body of research; microplastic uptake by invertebrates has been studied by laboratory experiments and field collections to report the presence of polymers in tissues. In the natural context, the higher the urbanization surrounding beaches and sediment pollution, the higher the concentration of microplastics in organs of bivalves. This approach currently constitutes the main research direction, but ecotoxicological assays are emerging prospects to assess the effects of exposure to microplastics. Beached macroplastics entangle and entrap invertebrates and vertebrates, and studies have reported increasing negative interactions with seals and sea turtles. Changes in nesting and feeding behavior of resident and transient organisms have been shown as typical early warning indicators of marine litter impacts. The focus on fauna–litter interactions holds terrific potential for research and citizen science projects, which finally becomes a powerful driver towards environmental awareness on sandy beaches.
... Sea turtles are susceptible to anthropogenic impacts at every life stage (Rees et al., 2016). Characterized as animals with long life-cycles and low productivity, the anthropogenic influences such as urbanization of nesting areas (Biddiscombe et al., 2020;Erb and Wyneken, 2019), illegal hunting (Marco et al., 2012a), fisheries bycatch (Bielli et al., 2019;Coelho et al., 2015), marine debris (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016) and climate change (Abella et al., 2016;Tanner et al., 2019) are Abbreviations: ENE, Number of eggs laid annually; ES, Emergence success; HPH, Hatchling production in the hatchery; HS, Hatching success; HSC, number of hatchlings that could have reached the sea without the nest relocation; IRB, in-situ hatchlings number that reached the sea; ISH, in-situ hatchling number; mcs, mean clutch size; nn, total number of nests; SCL, Straight carapace length; SCW, Straight carapace width; STNR, Sea Turtle Natural Reserve. considered the main threats which are contributing to the decline and/or loss of many sea turtle populations. ...
... Several management strategies have been developed and implemented to minimize threats, such as the reduction of incidental captures in fisheries (Bielli et al., 2019;Coelho et al., 2015), restoration of critical nesting habitats (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016), awareness raising activities and sustainable programs with local communities to reduce sea turtle consumption (Schneller and Irizarry, 2014), regional cooperation between countries (Shaver and Caillouet, 2015) and protection of eggs and nesting females on the nesting beaches (Marco et al., 2012a;Mazaris et al., 2017). ...
Article
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This paper evaluated the efficiency of beach hatcheries as a conservation tool for threatened sea turtle clutches. During six nesting seasons (2013 to 2018), several thousand high-risk clutches from loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) were relocated to a hatchery constructed on the same beach, within the Sea Turtle Natural Reserve (STNR, Boa Vista Island, Cabo Verde). Some parameters like hatching success; incubation period, hatchlings’ morphology and their behavioral response were compared to in-situ clutches. • Our findings confirmed that the in-situ nests within the STNR had extremely high egg mortality that was usually over 70 %. Mean hatching success of clutches relocated to hatcheries was significantly higher than in-situ clutches with mean values between 70 to 85 % (p < 0.0001). • No significant differences were observed in the incubation period (p = 0.786) and morphology of hatchlings (all p > 0.05) between relocated and in-situ clutches. • This study provided a detailed method and recommendations for sea turtle clutches relocation to the hatchery, that can be beneficial for endangered sea turtle population specially where hatching success is very low.
... Sea turtles are susceptible to anthropogenic impacts at every life stage (Rees et al., 2016). Characterized as animals with long life-cycles and low productivity, the anthropogenic influences such as urbanization of nesting areas (Biddiscombe et al., 2020;Erb and Wyneken, 2019), illegal hunting (Marco et al., 2012a), fisheries bycatch (Bielli et al., 2019;Coelho et al., 2015), marine debris (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016) and climate change (Abella et al., 2016;Tanner et al., 2019) are Abbreviations: ENE, Number of eggs laid annually; ES, Emergence success; HPH, Hatchling production in the hatchery; HS, Hatching success; HSC, number of hatchlings that could have reached the sea without the nest relocation; IRB, in-situ hatchlings number that reached the sea; ISH, in-situ hatchling number; mcs, mean clutch size; nn, total number of nests; SCL, Straight carapace length; SCW, Straight carapace width; STNR, Sea Turtle Natural Reserve. considered the main threats which are contributing to the decline and/or loss of many sea turtle populations. ...
... Several management strategies have been developed and implemented to minimize threats, such as the reduction of incidental captures in fisheries (Bielli et al., 2019;Coelho et al., 2015), restoration of critical nesting habitats (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016), awareness raising activities and sustainable programs with local communities to reduce sea turtle consumption (Schneller and Irizarry, 2014), regional cooperation between countries (Shaver and Caillouet, 2015) and protection of eggs and nesting females on the nesting beaches (Marco et al., 2012a;Mazaris et al., 2017). ...
Article
Sea turtles are globally endangered and facing anthropogenic threats. To mitigate the negative impacts on sea turtle populations, different conservation strategies have been developed and implemented. For instance, when an endangered population suffers a high embryonic mortality from predation, human poaching, beach flooding or erosion, the relocation of clutches to safer and controlled areas can lower these threats. However, the use of hatcheries is controversially discussed, with some previous studies reporting negative results such as low hatching success, skewed sex ratio or phenotypic alterations of hatchlings. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of beach hatcheries compared to in-situ incubation in Cabo Verde using data from six nesting seasons (2013–2018). During this study, several thousand high-risk clutches from loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta Linnaeus, 1758) were relocated to a hatchery constructed within the Sea Turtle Natural Reserve (STNR, Boa Vista Island). Our findings confirmed that the in-situ nests within the STNR have extremely high egg mortality that is usually over 70%. Mean hatching success of clutches relocated to hatcheries was significantly higher than in-situ clutches with mean values between 70 and 85%. No significant differences were observed in the incubation period, the size and the behavioural response of hatchlings between relocated and in-situ clutches. As long as a sea turtle population is endangered and hatching success is low, clutch relocation programs which are designed to have an impact at the population level, are considered an efficient tool that contributes to its recuperation. Nevertheless, strict recommendations that increase hatching success while maintaining natural hatchling phenotype must be implemented.
... Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 P1 3000 10 420 3800 5500 P2 4000 5800 2600 11 000 P3 2800 3800 6840 8860 P4 500 1200 2480 7380 P5 900 3400 1000 6420 Total 11 200 24 620 16 720 39 160 marine plastics with sea turtle mortality and injuries, reduction in the number of sea turtle eggs and nesting, and increases in hatchling failures [65][66][67]. Considering these ecological risks, further research is needed to monitor the impacts of marine plastics on sea turtles in the area, especially considering that such knowledge on marine species endemic in Indonesia is still very limited [68]. ...
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Marine plastics stranded on the coastlines of remote small islands threaten both the ecological integrity of local ecosystems and communities’ well‐being. However, despite the growing quantities of stranded plastics in these locations, the remote nature of these sites renders monitoring and intervention efforts difficult to undertake. Within this context, we developed a citizen science approach to monitor stranded marine plastics in collaboration with villagers living on a remote small island in Indonesia. This study reports the co‐development and application of an approach that can be used and maintained independently by remote coastal communities. In the monitoring stage, the participants quantified both the weight and composition of stranded marine debris on a beach located in their village for a 4‐week period from late May to mid‐June 2021. The results revealed that the weekly accumulation of stranded marine debris on the beach was 3.97 kg/m ² , with 58% categorized as plastics. The stranded plastics sampled in this study were sorted and collected for recycling, estimated to provide a total economic value of 91,700 Indonesian Rupiahs (USD 5.84), or equivalent to 12.77% of the average monthly household income in the area. The citizen science activities indicated that the local villagers were capable of operating the designed monitoring system effectively, with the added benefits of supplementary earnings from recycling. An independently operated monitoring approach combined with collection efforts for recyclable items is important as remote islands have to manage increasing quantities of stranded marine debris despite the lack of an adequate local waste management system.
... Hurricanes can drastically affect reproductive success through mechanisms such as rising sea levels, drowning incubating embryos and eroding nests (Dewald et al. 2014;Pike et al. 2015). Future laying may also be disrupted by debris washed up by the sea (Fujisaki et al. 2016). Habitat modifications, such as the shortening or disappearance of sand beaches and the destruction of mangroves and other vegetation, can affect the rest of the nesting season (Long et al. 2011). ...
... Hurricanes can drastically affect reproductive success through mechanisms such as rising sea levels, drowning incubating embryos and eroding nests (Dewald et al. 2014;Pike et al. 2015). Future laying may also be disrupted by debris washed up by the sea (Fujisaki et al. 2016). Habitat modifications, such as the shortening or disappearance of sand beaches and the destruction of mangroves and other vegetation, can affect the rest of the nesting season (Long et al. 2011). ...
Article
The countries of the Caribbean basin are regularly subjected to intense climatic events such as hurricanes. In early July 2024, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record, striking Martinique with unprecedented intensity. These extreme weather events pose a significant threat to the breeding success of endangered sea turtles in the Caribbean. The main objective of this research was to determine the direct impact of Hurricane Beryl on the nesting populations of Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) and Hawskbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata). We estimated the different levels of the coastline in order to evaluate the evolution of the sea level height, swell intensity, and erosion across three beaches that were being monitored during the sea turtle nesting season. Map analyses show a total loss of Leatherback turtle nests due to submersion. While Hawskbill turtle nests were also submerged, the impact on egg survival is yet to be fully determined as short-term immersion could have less severe effects, especially for nests located further from the shoreline. These observations highlight the devastating consequences of Hurricane Beryl, in particular for Leatherback turtle nests. The increasing frequency and intensity of early-season hurricanes may have long-term implications for sea turtle populations in the Caribbean.
... The effects of plastic pollution on turtle nesting beaches are currently better understood, at multiple stages. At the nesting stage, females might avoid nesting in such polluted areas (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). At the nest's incubation and emergence stages, plastics may leak chemicals and contaminate nests (Sousa-Guedes et al., 2023a), cause fluctuations in the sand temperatures, affecting sex ratios (Fuentes et al., 2023), create a loss of synchrony in the emergence of hatchlings (Sousa-Guedes et al., 2023b), or act as a barrier on their way to the ocean (Aguilera et al., 2018). ...
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Santa Luzia, an uninhabited island in the archipelago of Cabo Verde, serves as a natural laboratory and important nesting site for loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta. The island constitutes an Integral Natural Reserve and a Marine Protected Area. We assessed marine litter accumulation on sandy beaches of the island and analysed their spatial patterns using two sampling methods: at a fine scale, sand samples from 1 × 1 m squares were collected, identifying debris larger than 1 mm; at a coarse scale, drone surveys were conducted to identify visible marine debris (>25 mm) in aerial images. We sampled six points on three beaches of the island: Achados (three points), Francisca (two points) and Palmo Tostão (one point). Then, we modelled the abundance of marine debris using topographical variables as explanatory factors, derived from digital surface models (DSM). Our findings reveal that the island is a significant repository for marine litter (>84% composed of plastics), with up to 917 plastic items per m2 in the sand samples and a maximum of 38 macro-debris items per m2 in the drone surveys. Plastic fragments dominate, followed by plastic pellets (at the fine-scale approach) and fishing materials (at the coarse-scale approach). We observed that north-facing, higher-elevation beaches accumulate more large marine litter, while slope and elevation affect their spatial distribution within the beach. Achados Beach faces severe marine debris pollution challenges, and the upcoming climate changes could exacerbate this problem.
... The small size of this subpopulation makes it vulnerable to population extinction (Shaffer, 1981;Legendre et al., 1999;Traill et al., 2010). Loggerheads nesting in the northern Gulf of Mexico already face pressures from commercial fishing activities, marine debris (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016), and numerous oil/natural gas well drilling (Hart et al., 2018), which resulted in one of the largest oil spills in U.S. history in April 2010 (Bjorndal et al., 2011;Deepwater Horizon). The addition of MP as a threat to loggerhead sea turtles increases their vulnerability and includes potential impacts such as alteration of sand temperatures, which can affect sex ratios of resulting hatchlings (Crews et al., 1994;Lamont et al., 2020;Fuentes et al., 2023) and microplastic toxicity to embryonic development (Nobre et al., 2015;Batel et al., 2018;Zhang et al., 2021b;Burgos-Aceves et al., 2022). ...
... emergence was defined as an emergence that did not result in egg deposition. Nesting success was calculated as the proportion of emergences that resulted in a nest in relation to the total number of crawls and served as an indicator of a beach's nesting suitability [68][69][70][71][72] : ...
Article
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Longitudinal data sets for population abundance are essential for studies of imperiled organisms with long life spans or migratory movements, such as marine turtles. Population status trends are crucial for conservation managers to assess recovery effectiveness. A direct assessment of population growth is the enumeration of nesting numbers and quantifying nesting attempts (successful nests/unsuccessful attempts) and emergence success (number of hatchlings leaving the nest) because of the substantial annual variations due to nest placement, predation, and storm activity. We documented over 133,000 sea turtle crawls for 50.9 km of Florida Gulf of Mexico coastline from 1982 to 2021 for a large loggerhead turtle nesting aggregation and a recovering remnant population of green sea turtles. Over time both species have emerged to nest significantly earlier in the year and green sea turtle nesting seasons have extended. Nest counts and hatchling production for both species have significantly increased, but the rate of emergence success of hatchlings leaving nests has not changed for loggerheads and has declined for green sea turtles. Sea level rise and coastal developments undoubtedly influence coastal habitats in the long-term, impacting nest site selection and potential recruitment from the loss of emerged hatchlings. However, the present indications for steady Gulf of Mexico recovery of loggerhead and green sea turtles counter findings of the Florida Atlantic coasts. This study indicates that effective conservation practices can be detected within time scales of 1–2 turtle generations.
... In addition to increased vulnerability due to small population sizes, sea turtles nesting on Gulf of Mexico beaches also face pressures from commercial fishing activities, anthropogenic and natural debris (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016), and intensive energy activities (Hart et al., 2018); those activities resulted in one of the largest oil spills in US history, which occurred in the northern Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 (Deepwater Horizon; Bjorndal et al., 2011). Additionally, much of the Gulf of Mexico is fringed by low-lying barrier islands that are highly susceptible to erosion and inundation (Lamont et al., 2012;Ware & Fuentes, 2020). ...
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Globally, six of the seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered and as such, monitoring reproductive activity for these species is necessary for effective population recovery. Remote beaches provide a challenge to conducting these surveys, which often results in data gaps that can hamper management planning. Throughout the summer of 2022, aerial surveys were conducted over the Chandeleur Islands in the Gulf of Mexico. Turtle crawls were photographed for subsequent review by 10 expert observers. Whenever possible, ground surveys were conducted, and samples of unhatched eggs or dead hatchlings were collected. A summary of historic reports of sea turtle nesting activity at this site was also compiled. On 11 days between May 4, 2022, and July 30, 2022, photographs of 55 potential sea turtle crawls were taken. Observers identified 54 of those as being made by a sea turtle. There was high-to-moderate certainty that 16 of those crawls were nests, that 14 were made by log-gerheads, and that two were made by Kemp's ridleys. Observers were least certain of species identification when surveys were conducted during rainy weather. Genetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA were conducted on samples from five nests and those analyses confirmed that three nests were laid by Kemp's rid-leys and two were laid by loggerheads. Historic records from the Chandeleur Islands substantiate claims that the Chandeleurs have supported sea turtle nesting activity for decades; however, the consistency of this activity remains unknown. Our aerial surveys, particularly when coupled with imaging, were a useful tool for documenting nesting activity on these remote islands. Future monitoring programs at this site could benefit from a standardized aerial survey program with a seaplane so trends in nesting activity could be determined particularly as the beach undergoes restoration.
... Así mismo, las diferencias en la comparación de los huevos recolectados por playas por año y la evidencia de contraste en el tamaño de la nidada, con mayor cantidad en Playa Las Doradas se explica porque en estas zonas no se llevan a cabo actividades antropogénicas a diferencia de la playa Cedeño y Los Delgaditos. En estas playas reside la Aldea de Cedeño (Arias et al., 2021), ambas playas son de uso recreativo con afluencia de turistas, que, sumado a la erosión y acreción, depredación, iluminación artificial, destrucción del hábitat, plásticos y otros desechos marinos constituye una amenaza durante el período reproductivo en hembras anidadoras (del Cid Gómez & Cáceres, 2018;Flores-Monter et al., 2015;Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Mathenge et al., 2012). Además, la pesca constituye una de las actividades más importantes como ingresos de la comunidad (Departamento de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional, 2016; Soto et al., 2012), por lo que, la pesca incidental debida a artes poco selectivas realizada en ambas playas, ejercen una presión difícil de cuantificar que podría constituir una amenaza en la anidación de L. olivacea. ...
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Introducción: El Campamento Tortuguero de Cedeño ha sido el sitio menos investigado del Golfo de Fonseca, donde se protege a la tortuga golfina en Honduras desde 1975. Objetivo: Evaluar la anidación de la tortuga Golfina (Lepidochelys olivacea) durante la temporada de veda entre el 2011 y 2021 en Campamento Tortuguero Cedeño, Choluteca, Honduras. Métodos: Entre 2011 a 2021, se llevó a cabo el monitoreo diario de las actividades de anidación durante la veda del 1 al 25 de septiembre. Los patrullajes se realizaron entre las 6:00-18:00 h, y las 18:00-5:00 h. Se registró el número total de tortugas que anidaban y se recogieron sus huevos, que se transportaron al criadero, donde se tabularon los resultados de las puestas y las crías. Resultados: Se registró un total 1 065 tortugas de L. olivacea, 95 051 huevos recolectados, 1 065 nidos marcados en tres playas que fueron reubicados en viveros artificiales y una eclosión exitosa de 62 747 neonatos. La playa Las Doradas fue el sitio con el mayor número de tortugas anidadoras, seguido de Los Delgaditos y por último Cedeño. El promedio de la frecuencia de anidación fue de 96 nidos. Del 2011 al 2021 el esfuerzo de recolección de los nidos aumentó en un 91.6 %, pasando de 84 a 161 nidos. El número de personas patrullando se asoció con la cantidad de nidos detectados en las playas. Conclusión: Los esfuerzos de monitoreo y conservación para la especie han indicado que ha habido un incremento en la anidación de L. olivacea en las tres playas, con un mayor incremento en Playa Las Doradas. Este escenario comprueba la funcionalidad de la veda en esta zona.
... Human occupancy often transforms the natural landscape of beaches and reduces biodiversity by removing dunes and beach vegetation, usually for coastal armoring or construction of beach facilities (Peña-Alonso et al., 2019;Salgado et al., 2022). Exposure to offroad motorized vehicles and the deposition of debris affects birds' and turtles' behavior (Schlacher et al., 2013;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). Urbanization and recreation also negatively influence macrofaunal community densities and richness (Orlando et al., 2020;Wu et al., 2020), and as human activities increase, sandy beach biota is subjected to increased trampling, improper solid waste disposal and grooming (Afghan et al., 2020). ...
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Sandy beaches are ecologically important, physically dynamic, and heterogeneous habitats intrinsically related to human culture. However, these interactions present challenges for sandy beaches in the Anthropocene as stressors from urbanization increase. This study investigated sandy beach community responses to local urbanization in two periods. Beaches were classified into three urbanization categories: conserved (C), modified (M), and urbanized (U), and compared temporally (1997/1998 – first period; 2012 – second period). We hypothesized that community structure descriptors (total abundance, biomass, and richness) and bioindicator abundance (Emerita brasiliensis and Atlantorchestoidea brasiliensis) decreased temporally and be lower in urbanized beaches. The results partially corroborate the main hypothesis since there were different temporal responses from biological variables between each urbanization category (C, M, and U). The data supported that community structure descriptors decreased as local urbanization increased between categories (C, M, and U). Conserved beaches (C) presented higher values for community descriptors, and populations of E. brasiliensis and A. brasiliensis were more abundant compared to other groups (M and U). Modified beaches (M) presented resilience to local urbanization pressures since they are recently urbanized habitats, and some beaches are inside protected areas. The urbanized beaches (U) were impacted by the long-term pressures of urbanization and recreation, and community descriptors and bioindicators presented the lowest values in both periods. Species undergoing direct development, such as A. brasiliensis, should preferably be used as indicators of temporal changes due to local urbanization on sandy beaches, rather than indirect developers like E. brasiliensis. Identifying suitable indicators for long-term anthropogenic impacts from increasing urbanization is necessary for protecting sandy beach ecology.
... There are various reasons why sea turtle hatchlings may face difficulty in reaching the sand surface after hatching, including: the compaction or density of the sand by foot traffic (Lutcavage, 2017), and human-made obstacles such as beach debris within the sand column which can preventing them from leaving the egg chamber (Nelms et al., 2016). Previous studies have already shown one potential restoration strategy to enhance sea turtle nesting could be the effective removal of significant debris (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). Emergence success for the Persian Gulf hawksbill ranged from 63.90% (present study) to 59.92% in Qeshm Island in ex-situ conservation (Mahtabi et al., 2019). ...
Article
Conservation of the critically endangered hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) is an important global concern that requires attention. There is currently a lot of debate surrounding the use of hatcheries as a technique for ex-situ conservation. Over the past decade, hatchery sites were established with the aim of reducing the embryonic mortality and increasing the number of hatchlings on Kish Island. Out of a total of 415 hawksbill turtle nests, 216 nests were monitored in their original location (in-situ) whereas the remaining nests were relocated to a hatchery site (ex-situ) due to several threats, including feral predators, coastal development, ecotourism pressure, and waves of monsoon storms. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a hatchery site in the emergence success and incubation period compared to natural nests by analyzing the data from thirteen nesting seasons (2010-2022). In most years, the emergence success rate in ex-situ conditions has been significantly higher than in-situ (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a notable variation in the incubation period was noticed among various ex-situ years (P < 0.05), whereas it was not observed in in-situ. The incubation period in the ex-situ condition (57.38 ± 7.39 days) was 3.68 days shorter than the in-situ nests (61.25 ± 8.46 days). Delays in transferring eggs to the hatchery site from distant shores were found to be linked with a decrease in emergence success, 47.02% vs. 58.18% (P < 0.05). As a result, nest relocation in a minimum time, could significantly enhance turtle hatchlings' emergence success and survival. On the other hand, reducing the incubation period due to ex-situ method maybe an important challenge in the future. Further research should be done to investigate the influence of nest relocation on morphological, physiological, immunological, and biometric offspring features, as well as on sex ratio.
... La publicidad del destino también debe de ser conjunta a la ayuda en la conservación de especies en otros países. Esto para alcanzar un éxito más inmediato, se han documentado beneficios en torno a la mejora del estado de conservación de las tortugas marinas derivadas de prácticas ecoturísticas correctamente manejadas (Hunt & Vargas, 2018;Mendes et al., 2019;Read et al., 2019); así como modelos y lineamientos para llevar a cabo las actividades de conservación de estas especies (Landry & Taggart, 2010 Además de tomar en cuenta estos impactos negativos y directos del turismo sobre las tortugas, no debemos perder de vista las condiciones con las que debe contar la playa para maximizar el éxito de la nidada, como lo son el albedo de la arena (Hays et al., 2001), la contaminación por residuos sólidos (Triessnig et al., 2012;Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016), el clima en general (Pike, 2013), y expansión de la franja urbana sobre las playas (Fish et al., 2008;Mazaris et al., 2009;Silva et al., 2020). ...
Article
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Th e dynamics of a new segment of tourist activity bases its action on creating a link between the subject, the experience and the environment, these are the most important conditions for the tourist to choose the destination to visit. Environmental education within ecotourism is a strategic tool to promote respect for wildlife. Th e objective of this work was to develop an analysis of the impact of environmental education on the conservation of sea turtles in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico throughout three decades of recorded biological data in order to promote sustainable tourism with more socially solid attitudes. In Mazatlán Sinaloa, every year, during the sea turtle nesting season (July-October), numerous ecotourist subjects are interested in these endangered reptiles, in order to help protect and conserve these animals. Th ere are regional and federal government public institutions that have a role in environmental education and wildlife conservation. Th is work involves the approach of animals on a coastal zone on the beaches with tourist dynamics with anthropocentric predominance with the aim of educating various social actors, where the natural resources that are the object of this investigation are sea turtles called olive ridleys Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829). Th e Mazatlán Aquarium with its sea turtle conservation program has managed to protect 15,103 nests; 1,393,194 eggs; 1,103,006 turtles released; 70.2% survival and 290,188 deaths due to natural disasters and other causes. Tourism supported by environmental education promotes an infl uence on residents and tourists for the care of the natural heritage of natural resources such as marine turtles. Th is research is a multidisciplinary analysis of the educational, biological, and sociocultural sciences based on a documentary review with indepth interviews with key actors. Th ere is a conceptual interpretation where social actors learn about biology, conservation, threats, and respect for wild animal life during their visit to the Sinaloan port.
... Entanglement in plastic debris presents a risk to both females emerging to lay their eggs as well as their hatchlings (Triessnig, 2012). High debris abundance increases the frequency of false crawls (when females crawl on the beach but do not deposit a clutch of eggs) and disturbs turtle nest site selection (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Gündoğdu et al., 2019). Additionally, debris within beach sediments may prevent hatchlings from reaching the surface after hatching from eggs (Nelms et al., 2015). ...
... This could be of concern since nesting success was found to be lower at armored beaches and urban pocket beaches when compared to unarmored, or natural beaches. A greater nesting success relates to more turtles choosing to deposit a nest upon emergence instead of completing a "false crawl" and is an indication of nest site preference (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016;Rizkalla and Savage, 2011;Rumbold et al., 2001). This suggests that when turtles emerge at the different beach types, they are likely to spend less energy when they nest at unarmored as compared to urban pocket beaches and armored beaches. ...
Article
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Sandy areas between rocky uplands, or natural pocket beaches, provide important habitat for coastal wildlife. On developed coasts, similar sandy areas, called urban pocket beaches, occur in the gaps between properties with coastal armoring (sea walls or revetments). These urban pocket beaches provide important nesting, foraging, and resting habitat for wildlife, particularly on extensively armored beaches. However, it is unclear if urban pocket beaches provide the same function as natural pocket beaches or offer benefits (e.g., reduced risk of inundation or erosion) lost at nearby armored areas. To address these knowledge gaps, we analyzed loggerhead marine turtle nesting patterns and reproductive success to determine if urban pocket beaches represent preferred nesting habitat along armored coastlines. We also determined if nests at urban pocket beaches are more likely than nearby armored and unarmored beaches to be inundated from wave runup, which could alter the incubation environment and nest productivity of marine turtles. The linear extent of urban pocket beaches in Florida was identified, then loggerhead marine turtle nesting success, nest density, and hatching success was compared between urban pocket beaches with armoring and beaches without armoring. We also modeled differences in wave runup exposure at these beaches under current conditions (2016-2019) without and with tropical storms and future (2060) intermediate-low and high sea level rise scenarios. Overall, pocket beaches account for less than 2% of Florida’s nesting beaches with higher abundance on more heavily armored shorelines. Nesting density in pocket beaches were similar to nearby beaches without armoring. However, female turtles were more likely to nest in urban pocket beaches compared to adjacent armored areas, and pocket beach nests had a higher hatchling success rate than unarmored and armored beaches. Our models suggest that exposure to wave runup varies by geographic location, but overall pocket beaches provided viable nesting habitat in all areas surveyed. Thus, managers should advocate for preserving urban pocket beaches on armored shorelines.
... The presence of microplastics on beaches can alter sand temperature with implications on the development of marine turtle eggs (Lavers et al., 2021;Pike, 2014). Macroplastics deposited on beaches also add obstacles for nesting females and for neonate turtles emerging from their nests as they move towards the water (Triessnig et al., 2012;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). FML in marine turtle foraging areas increases the probability of plastic ingestion and entanglement, often causing mortality (Atzori et al., 2021). ...
Article
Litter is a serious threat to the marine environment, with detrimental effects on wildlife and marine biodiversity. Limited data as a result of funding and logistical challenges in developing countries hamper our understanding of the problem. Here, we employed commercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a cost-effective tool to study the exposure of marine turtles to floating marine litter (FML) in waters of Mayo Bay, Philippines. A quadcopter UAV was flown autonomously with on-board camera capturing videos during the flight. Still frames were extracted when either turtle or litter were detected in post-flight processing. The extracted frames were georeferenced and mapped using QGIS software. Results showed that turtles are highly exposed to FML in nearshore waters. Moreover, spatial dependence between FML and turtles was also observed. The study highlights the effectiveness of UAVs in marine litter research and underscores the threat of FML to turtles in nearshore waters.
... Moreover, although probably through internal transfer from the mother, Savoca et al. (2021) found that turtle eggs (especially eggshell and yolk) can accumulate phthalates, a component frequently used in many plastic types. Furthermore, the accumulation of large debris on beaches may also impact the females' nesting behaviour, with higher nesting activities occurring in cleaner areas (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016). ...
Article
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Coastal urbanization, plastic pollution and climate change are increasingly affecting marine turtles' nesting habitats. In addition to facing risks of mortality due to saltwater inundation or predation, their eggs and hatchlings' might also be affected by plastic debris accumulation on beaches, but no studies to date have analysed such impact. To analyse whether plastic pollution on nests' surfaces affects the embryos' and hatchlings' survival odds, we designed a field experiment in a turtle hatchery on a nesting beach of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in Boa Vista Island (Cabo Verde). We applied three treatments with distinct plastic levels (18 nests per treatment): control (no added plastics), low density (64 plastic fragments with 24.5 g of plastic weight per nest) and high density (128 plastic fragments with 49.0 g of plastic weight per nest). Then, we tested 16 variables related to the incubation period, emergence period and hatchlings' fitness. Our results suggest that nests with high plastic density have a significantly lower probability of successful emergence. Moreover, plastics also affected the synchronized emergence of hatchlings, with more scattered and smaller emergent groups, which might increase the predation risk. Considering that turtle nesting habitats are becoming increasingly threatened, this additional threat might compromise the survival of turtle hatchlings on beaches.
... exploitation of eggs and adults (Mortimer, 2002;Wallace et al., 2011), pollution (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Wyneken et al., 1988), unsound fishing practices and incidental fisheries bycatch (Mortimer, 2002;Wallace et al., 2011), climate change (Poloczanska et al., 2009) as well as disturbances of natural nesting beaches (Antworth et al., 2006). These threats remain of major concern for the conservation and management of existing as well as future populations. ...
Article
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The critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is of conservation concern worldwide. Conservation actions which act to reduce high levels of embryonic mortality aid to boost hatchling production. At Cousine Island, Seychelles, a mixed management method has been adopted to maximize the number of hatchlings entering the ocean. We examined the effectiveness of a hatchery at increasing hatching and emergence success from four seasons of data (2017–2021). Hatchery nests had significantly higher hatching and emergence success across all years relative to nests left in situ (i.e., natural), with inter‐annual variation observed. A greater percentage of in situ clutches was found to be influenced by both crab activity and predation as compared to relocated clutches. Overall, the mixed management approach increased hatching success (mean = 75.1%) relative to the various nest management techniques previously used (2004/2005–2016/2017; mean = 63.5%). By mitigating external influences such as tidal flooding, beach erosion, and crab activity/predation, this study provides evidence for the success of a hatchery in directly increasing hatchling recruitment. Strict and careful hatchery management as well as timely and efficient relocation procedures are needed to minimize potential negative effects of nest relocation.
... The presence of large objects, such as beach furniture and recreational equipment (kayaks and sailboats) left on the beaches at night can deter nesting females and create obstacles for hatchlings. Nesting females have been documented being trapped among beach chairs, and eggs can be destroyed by the inadvertent placement of beach umbrellas into unmarked nests (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016). Large holes on the beach are also capable of trapping nesting females and hatchlings if left unfilled. ...
... Macroplastics have been found in coastal areas all over the world, not only near very densely populated urban centers, but also in remote locations such as the waters around Antarctica (Barnes, Walters, & Gonçalves, 2010;Suaria et al., 2020), Arctic beaches (Bergmann, Lutz, Tekman, & Gutow, 2017), and uninhabited islands in all ocean basins (Lavers & Bond, 2017;Lavers, Dicks, Dicks, & Finger, 2019;Ryan, Dilley, Ronconi, & Connan, 2019). Marine debris stranded on shores and floating in nearby waters poses environmental threats to the myriad species living in coastal environments (Fujisaki & Lamont, 2016;Patterson Edward et al., 2020) and safety hazards such as those caused by broken items or syringes, among others. The presence of litter on beaches also causes esthetic issues, impacting revenue generated by tourism and recreational activities (Krelling, Williams, & Turra, 2017). ...
Chapter
Macro- and microplastics are critical emerging pollutants found in marine and freshwater environments around the world. Plastic consumption supported by a linear economy combined with exportation of plastic packaging materials to countries with deficient solid waste management practices causes massive plastic pollution in low and middle-income countries. This chapter examines the causes, distribution, and impacts of macroplastic and microplastic pollutants, each with particular characteristics in marine and freshwater environments in different parts of the world. The geographical dimension of plastic pollution is revealed and the impacts on natural habitats and human settlements are highlighted. This chapter provides an overview of environmental plastic abundance, sources and mitigation strategies. The circular economy is further presented as a key mitigation strategy in the prevention of plastics materials in the environment, improvement of the production sector, and providing better waste management practices to reduce this global environmental threat.
... activities, anthropogenic debris, sand compaction, or even other turtles, may prevent turtles concluding/starting nesting, causing unsuccessful attempts (Witherington 1992;Fuentes et al. 2016;Fujisaki and Lamont 2016;Drobes et al. 2019;Garrison and Fuentes 2019;Sella and Fuentes 2019). In these cases, the turtle returns to the sea and waits for the next opportunity to nest; either during the same or following night(s) (see Hamann et al. 2002). ...
Article
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Population abundance data are often used to define species’ conservation status. Abundance of marine turtles is typically estimated using nesting beach monitoring data such as nest counts and clutch frequency (CF, i.e., the number of nests female turtles lay within a nesting season). However, studies have shown that CF determined solely from nesting beach monitoring data can be underestimated, leading to inaccurate abundance estimates. To obtain reliable estimates of CF for hawksbill turtles in northeastern Brazil (6.273356° S, 35.036271° W), the region with the highest nesting density in the South Atlantic, data from beach monitoring and satellite telemetry were combined from 2014 to 2019. Beach monitoring data indicated the date of first nesting event, while state-space modeling of satellite telemetry data indicated the departure date of turtles, allowing calculations of residence length at breeding site and CF estimates based on internesting intervals. Females were estimated to nest up to six times within the nesting season with CF estimates between 4.5 and 4.8 clutches per female. CF estimates were used to determine the number of nesting females at the study site based in two approaches: considering and not considering transient turtles. Our approach and findings highlight that transients heavily influence CF estimates and need for reconsideration of how this key parameter is commonly determined for marine turtle populations and the use of beach monitoring data and satellite telemetry for estimations of CF.
... After hatchlings emerge from the nest, they continue to be highly susceptible to mortality including predation (e.g. crabs, ants, birds, mammals; Parris et al., 2002;Erb and Wyneken, 2019), entrapment (Erb and Wyneken, 2019), woody debris (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016), and disorientation due to vehicle ruts Aguilera et al., 2019) and artificial lights (Witherington, 1992). ...
Article
Sea turtle hatchlings face many natural and anthropogenic threats during their short journey to the water after emerging from nests. Reducing hatchling mortality is critical to population recovery of imperiled sea turtle species; however, protecting hatchlings is particularly challenging on beaches degraded by human development and disturbances, including artificial lighting. Managers need practical methods to reduce hatchling mortality without harming their natural behavior or development. To address this need, we describe an approach to reduce mortality of loggerhead hatchlings that relies on prediction of clutch incubation length and knowledge of hatchling emergence patterns. We developed models to predict incubation length utilizing sand temperature and nest depth data from 133 loggerhead nests laid on an urban beach in Northwest Florida from 2013 to 2020. Incubation length was predicted to within 2.2 days using mean sand temperatures measured just outside of the clutch. Predicted accuracy improved to 1.9 days using a 2-parameter model incorporating sand temperature and measured depth to the topmost eggs. Hatchlings emerged almost exclusively at night in a single large group with no evidence of asynchronous emergences. Emergence times were skewed toward the early evening, in contrast to loggerhead nests on the Florida Atlantic coast which tend to hatch near midnight. Using these prediction tools, monitoring efforts could be focused on days and times of expected emergence to enable protection of hatchlings emerging naturally from nests left in situ. The method used here, while not a substitute for recovery of degraded nesting habitat, provides a way to protect hatchlings that avoids disturbing the eggs with instruments or restraining the hatchlings with cages or screens.
... Recent evidence also indicates warming sediments due to climate change are contributing to female-biased turtle populations (Jensen et al., 2018;Tanabe et al., 2020). While removal of large debris items from beaches can increase sea turtle nesting success by 24-38% (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016), the specific mechanisms influencing egg or hatchling success remain unknown. To our knowledge, no study has investigated the consequences of sediment temperature due to the accumulation of plastic debris on sea turtles. ...
Article
Plastic pollution is the focus of substantial scientific and public interest, leading many to believe the issue is well documented and managed, with effective mitigation in place. However, many aspects are poorly understood, including fundamental questions relating to the scope and severity of impacts (e.g., demographic consequences at the population level). Plastics accumulate in significant quantities on beaches globally, yet the consequences for these terrestrial environments are largely unknown. Using real world, in situ measurements of circadian thermal fluctuations of beach sediment on Henderson Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands, we demonstrate that plastics increase circadian temperature extremes. Particular plastic levels were associated with increases in daily maximum temperatures of 2.45ºC and decreases of daily minimum by -1.50ºC at 5 cm depth below the accumulated plastic. Mass of surface plastic was high on both islands (Henderson: 571 ± 197 g/m²; Cocos: 3164 ± 1989 g/m²), but did not affect thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, or moisture content of beach sediments. Therefore, we suggest plastic effects sediment temperatures by altering thermal inputs and outputs (e.g., infrared radiation absorption). The resulting circadian temperature fluctuations have potentially significant implications for terrestrial ectotherms, many of which have narrow thermal tolerance limits and are functionally important in beach habitats.
... However, we had no data on specific nesting-site preferences, which have important implications for the design and implementation of conservation and management strategies. Any physical alteration to nesting beaches might impede a female's ability to find a suitable nest site, while negatively affecting the suitability of beaches as incubating habitats, in turn decreasing hatchling survival (Brock et al., 2009;Pike, 2009;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016;Cisneros et al., 2017). ...
Article
The Yucatan Peninsula harbors important nesting beaches for the largest hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) populations in the Western Atlantic. Over the last decade, erosion has substantially modified segments of the nesting beach along the coastal zone of Celestun town, Mexico. The recent rise in sea level makes this area among the most vulnerable of the Yucatan coastal zone, potentially jeopardizing its suitability as a nesting site for hawksbill turtles. The objectives of this study were to: (1) identify spatiotemporal patterns of the hawksbill nesting season over 11 years (1997–2007); (2) characterize spatiotemporal dynamics in the morphology of the nesting beach; and (3) assess the relationship between beach morphology changes and hawksbill nesting activity. We observed a well-defined spatial pattern of hawksbill nesting activity along the beach, occupying steep and narrow beach zones where human presence and activity was low. The beach was under a strong erosional process, causing a retreat displacement that varied in magnitude along the littoral zone. Principal component analysis showed a strong correlation between beach morphology variables, separating segments of beach according to the effect of morphology. Variation in hawksbill nest densities was inversely correlated to the distance to town and to artificial light intensity. It is suggested that the influence of human activities and infrastructure on nesting females forces the use of beach segments where flooding and nest erosion from high tides and storm surges jeopardize their reproductive success and makes more relevant the identification of spatial priority zones for targeted management strategies that aim to preserve hawksbill nesting.
... Currently, debris accumulation rates are ten times greater along the Texas coastline than in northern GoM states (Wessel et al., 2019). In other states, removal of large debris has been shown to increase nesting activities in cleaned areas (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). Heavy equipment is used to clean natural and anthropogenic debris from many areas of the Gulf beachfront in Texas, however, in areas that are not cleaned (i.e., the undeveloped parts of North and South Padre Islands; the primary Kemp's ridley nesting beaches in the USA), Sargassum sp. and trash accumulate and can remain for long periods of time. ...
Article
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We identified threats to, and quantified success of, in situ nests of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii). Kemp’s ridley is the most critically endangered sea turtle species worldwide and efforts have been underway for more than 40 years to help recover the species, including the facilitation of forming a secondary nesting colony in south Texas, USA, as a safeguard against extinction. Typically, Kemp’s ridley nests located in Texas are relocated after egg laying for protected incubation in fenced corrals or a laboratory incubation facility; these management practices protect clutches and hatchlings from many threats that affect in situ nests. This study examined records for 78 Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nests discovered in situ (i.e., not relocated for incubation in a fenced corral or a laboratory incubation facility) in Texas between 1980–2018. Of the 78 in situ nests, 15 (19.2%) were completely predated and thus no hatchlings emerged, 29 (37.2%) emerged observed, 33 (42.3%) emerged unobserved, and one (1.3%) was excavated after incomplete predation. Observed nest emergences occurred primarily between 0600 h and 1000 h. Fifty (64.1%) in situ nests were disturbed by predators and/or humans before or after emergence. Site disturbance and limited observation of emergence prohibited accurate accounting of the number of hatchlings that successfully entered the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) from these nests. We documented 237 hatchlings that died on the beach due to vehicle drive-over (n = 42), predation (n = 131), overheating and desiccation (n = 54), disorientation (n = 1), and unknown cause (n = 9). Human intervention limited hatchling mortality at several of these nests. Mean estimated maximum hatchling emergence success was 63.2%, but actual success was likely much lower because additional mortality probably occurred but went undocumented due to site disturbance. Additionally, from 2005–2007, a total of 155 Kemp’s ridley nest sites at Padre Island National Seashore (Padre Island NS) were marked after eggs were removed for protected incubation and monitored for impacts from five threat types (tidal inundation, predator interaction, human tampering, vehicle drive-over, and plant root penetration). Ninety-nine percent of sites (154 of 155) were impacted by at least one threat during the study period. Generalised linear models were used to describe the prevalence of the three most common threats (presences or absences of ghost crab burrows, coyote tracks, and tidal inundation) and the cumulative number of threats at sites grouped along four beachfront sections, describing variation in threats by section and year. Results of these two studies illustrate that, since in situ nests on the Texas coast face significant threats and yield fewer hatchlings than relocated nests, relocation of Kemp’s ridley clutches for protected incubation must be continued for this critically endangered species.
... For example, the main macroinvertebrate components of the upper zone that were mostly highly impacted by armoring include the talitrid amphipods (Orchestoidea, Megalorchestia and Talitrus) we tested here, as well as oniscid isopods (Tylos, Alloniscus), intertidal beetles (Phalerisidia, Thinopinus, Cafius), other intertidal insects and ocypodid crabs (Ocypode) (Dahl, 1952;Trevallion et al., 1970;McLachlan and Jaramillo, 1995;McLachlan and Defeo, 2017). This upper zone is also nesting habitat for several species of sea turtles (Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016;Witherington et al., 2011aWitherington et al., , 2011b and fish, such as the California grunion (Martin et al., 2011(Martin et al., , 2019. The mid intertidal zone is characterized by cirolanid isopods including the two species we studied here (Excirolana, Cirolana and Eurydice) and spionid and ophelid polychaetes (Scolelepis and Euzonus, respectively). ...
Article
Coastal armoring is widely applied to coastal ecosystems, such as sandy beaches, in response to shoreline erosion and threats to infrastructure. Use of armoring is expected to increase due to coastal population growth and effects of climate change. An increased understanding of armoring effects on those ecosystems and the services they provide is needed for impact assessments and the design of these structures. We investigated the following hypotheses: 1) impacts of coastal armoring on beach macroinvertebrates increase from lower to upper intertidal zones and 2) location of an armoring structure on beach profiles affects the number of intertidal zones, using comparative surveys of armored and unarmored beach sections in Chile and California. The effects of armoring were greater for upper intertidal (talitrid amphipods) and mid-intertidal species (cirolanid isopods) than for lower shore fauna (hippid crabs). Our surveys of sections of armoring structures located higher and lower on the beach profile (with and without interactions with waves and tides), showed loss of upper zone talitrid amphipods and mid-zone isopods and a reduction of lower zone hippid crabs in sections where the structures were lower on the beach profile and interacted with waves, compared to non-interacting sections. Our results support the hypothesis that impacts of armoring on intertidal macroinvertebrates increase from the lower to the upper intertidal zones of sandy beaches and also suggest that the relative position of an armoring structure on the beach profile, determines the number of intertidal zones it affects. Our findings also imply that by altering the position of existing armoring structures on the shore profile and increasing the amount of interaction with waves and tides, sea level rise and regional factors, such as coseismic coastal subsidence, can be expected to exacerbate the impacts of these widely used coastal defense structures on sandy beach ecosystems.
... Multiple factors may influence where sea turtles choose to nest (Mortimer, 1990(Mortimer, , 1995Weishampel et al., 2003Weishampel et al., , 2006Cuevas et al., 2010), including magnetic fields (Brothers and Lohmann, 2018), offshore habitat structure (Hughes and Richard, 1974), offshore and near-shore oceanographic conditions (Carr and Carr, 1972;Marcovaldi and Laurent, 1996;Weishampel et al., 2003), beach morphology and covering (Whitmore and Dutton, 1985;Kikukawa et al., 1996;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016;Maurer and Johnson, 2017), sand characteristics, and anthropogenic factors (Crain et al., 1995;Steinitz et al., 1998;Davis et al., 1999;Kikukawa et al., 1999). However, multiple factors, including human or predator disturbance, lighting, unfavorable topography or sand characteristics, marine debris, and others, can also cause green turtles to abandon nesting attempts. ...
Article
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Knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting is crucial for management of this species. Limited data exist on the nesting patterns of green turtles along the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) coast. From 1987 to 2019, 211 green turtle nesting activities were documented on the Texas coast, including 111 confirmed nests and 100 non-nesting emergences. Of the 111 nests, 99 were located on North Padre Island (97 at Padre Island National Seashore (PAIS), two north of PAIS) and 12 on South Padre Island (six within the Laguna Atascosa or Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuges (NWR), six outside of a NWR). Of the 100 non-nesting emergences, 75 were on North Padre Island (70 at PAIS, 5 north of PAIS), 21 on South Padre Island (nine within a NWR, 12 outside of a NWR), one on Boca Chica Beach, two on San Jose Island, and one on Mustang Island. Nearly all of the nests (92.8%) and most of the non-nesting emergences (79.0%) were on property protected by the United States Department of the Interior as PAIS or a NWR, and confirmed nest density was largest at PAIS, highlighting the importance of these federally protected lands as nesting habitat for this threatened species. Of the 111 located nests, eight were predated. Mean hatching success of the 103 non-predated nests was 77.4%, and 9,475 hatchlings were released from the predated and non-predated nests. The largest annual number of green turtle nests documented was 29 in 2017. Nesting appeared to increase since 2010, but at a much lower rate than at other GoM nesting beaches. To aid with recovery, efforts should be undertaken to monitor long-term nesting trends, protect nesting turtles and nests, and investigate potential causes for the slower recovery in Texas. Additionally, the genetic structure of the population that nests in Texas should be determined to reveal if the population warrants recognition as a unique management unit, or if it is part of a broader unit that is a shared nesting resource with Mexico which is already being considered as a unique management unit.
... Debris on the beach would also prevent successful nesting as the beach was completely covered with fragments including plastic and oyster shells (Image 1f-h). This sometimes causes a phenomenon called 'false crawl' where the females emerge from the water but do not lay eggs (Fujisaki & Lamont 2016) due to unfavorable conditions. There was one 'false crawl' (Image 1i) and one nest recorded during 2017, and this was the last evidence of sea turtles on EGA beach. ...
Article
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The beach in front of the Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) facility has historically been visited by turtles and extensively used for nesting. The present study reveals the beach is not anymore conducive for sea turtle due to natural and climate change impacts.
... This zone has length 1163 meter and wide average 79,4 meter and 0,08 km2 large and slope slant average which are categorized as declivous. On several coastal areas that has sea turtle nesting zone, for example in Cape San Blas, Northwest Florida has a long sea turtle nesting zone around 5,7 km with the highest Loggerhead sea turtle nesting in North Bay Mexico [15]. The Integration Map result based on nesting location zone can be seen in figure 5. Bajul Mati and Jolangkung coastal areas as tourism locations and sea turtle conservation spots have both potentials and challenges in developing eco-tourism. ...
Conference Paper
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One of the sea turtle nesting habitats in Indonesia is located on the southern coast of Java Island. Bajul Mati and Jolangkung coastal areas, Malang Regency are locations of sea turtle nesting that exist in Java Island and already had conservation efforts along with it. The data inventories are nesting area data gathering and the result of sea turtle nesting which is aimed to develop conservation efforts. The purpose of this research is to integrate participation maps with aerial photographs and to identify potentials and challenges of the eco-tourism activity in the coastal area of Malang Regency. The data used are participation maps nesting point, aerial photographs result, and plotting point of nesting. The method in this research includes digital participation maps making which is then integrated with aerial photographs result and plotting point of nesting. The result of this research is integration maps of participation with aerial photographs which show in coastal area zonation as the habitat of sea turtle nesting and conservation area zonation. The conservation area zoning is one form of education for the ecotourism approach. The challenge of eco-tourism activity is to grow the regional government's trust and commitment to join and participate in sustainable eco-tourism.
... In addition to bycatch, beach litter is the second most salient cause of the decline in horseshoe crabs cited by respondents. The impacts of beach litter on wildlife have been well documented and include ingestion, entanglement, disturbance to nesting sites, and choking with subsequent mortality by turtles and marine mammals (Lazar and Gracan, 2011;Gall and Thompson, 2015;Deudero and Alomar, 2015;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). Beach litter has a significant impact on the nesting sites of horseshoe crabs because horseshoe crabs lay their eggs on the beach. ...
Article
There is a dearth of knowledge of the ecology and population status of horseshoe crabs in Indonesia. To avoid the high costs of sampling and monitoring horseshoe crabs, a questionnaire-based survey was designed and administered to local people to collect local knowledge on the population status, distribution, and potential threats that horseshoe crabs face at 35 sites in Indonesia. The results from 237 interviewees showed that horseshoe crabs were observed in 62 districts, including 114 local areas in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi Island. Approximately 70.5% of interviewees suggested that populations of horseshoe crabs in these districts are declining. The two most cited reasons for the decline included the habit of discarding horseshoe crab bycatch in locations where horseshoe crabs are unable to survive, such as river banks and trash piles (27.7%) and beach litter (19.8%). Gillnetting (48.3%) and bottom trawling (42.4%) were the main types of fishing gear responsible for the capture of horseshoe crabs. Due to the common practice of consuming adult crabs in these areas (90.0%), mass harvesting of adult horseshoe crabs was also mentioned by respondents (29.3%). Local knowledge obtained in this study has provided critical information on the distribution, threats, and causes of the decline in horseshoe crab populations. The results of this study therefore suggest that there is an urgent need for a sound management strategy to effectively aid in the conservation of horseshoe crabs.
... The accumulation of plastic debris alters water movement and heat transfer through beach sediments (Carson et al., 2011). Accumulated debris can also create a physical barrier, reducing the accessibility of beaches for breeding and hatchling sea turtles (Aguilera et al., 2018;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016). Limited information is available for other species, especially invertebrates, however the presence of beach debris smothers benthic communities resulting in fewer polychaete worms (Uneputty and Evans, 1997) and reduces the number of burrows constructed by crabs (Widmer and Hennemann, 2010). ...
Article
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Significant quantities of plastic debris pollute nearly all the world's ecosystems, where it persists for decades and poses a considerable threat to flora and fauna. Much of the focus has been on the marine environment, with little information on the hazard posed by debris accumulating on beaches and adjacent vegetated areas. Here we investigate the potential for beach debris to disrupt terrestrial species and ecosystems on two remote islands. The significant quantities of debris on the beaches, and throughout the coastal vegetation, create a significant barrier which strawberry hermit crabs (Coenobita perlatus) encounter during their daily activities. Around 61,000 (2.447 crabs/m2) and 508,000 crabs (1.117 crabs/m2) are estimated to become entrapped in debris and die each year on Henderson Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, respectively. Globally, there is an urgent need to establish a clear link between debris interactions and population persistence, as loss of biodiversity contributes to ecosystem degradation. Our findings show accumulating debris on these islands has the potential to seriously impact hermit crab populations. This is important for countless other islands worldwide where crabs and debris overlap, as crabs play a crucial role in the maintenance of tropical ecosystems.
... Exposure to artificial lighting may cause hatchling and nesting turtles to disorient resulting in decreased fitness or increased susceptibility to predation (Witherington and Bjorndal 1991;Limpus and Kamrowski 2013;Kamrowski et al. 2014). Other structures on the beach (e.g., lifeguard stands, sand fencing, beach furniture) act as barriers to nesting marine turtles (Witherington, Hirama, and Mosier 2011b;Fujisaki and Lamont 2016;Oliver de la Esperanza et al. 2017). Although, there is an understanding of how these and other coastal modification activities typically impact marine turtles and their reproductive output, their actual impact is not usually quantified, making it challenging to compare the threat between activities and to prioritize impacts and resources (Donlan et al. 2010;Bolten et al. 2011;Fuentes et al. 2016). ...
Article
Marine turtles utilize sandy beaches as nesting grounds, which can be impacted by a variety of coastal modifications. In the context of limited resources, managers need to prioritize which impacts from coastal modifications to mitigate. However, data on the relative impacts of coastal modification activities are not often available. To address this, we determined the perceived relative impact of twelve coastal modification activities on marine turtle nesting grounds by eliciting information from researchers and managers who are experts on the impacts of coastal modifications on marine turtles and their nesting grounds. Experts were asked to answer a series of pair-wise comparison matrices that compared the impacts of each coastal modification activity. Beach armoring, light pollution, and other shoreline stabilization structures (such as groins and jetties) were weighted by our experts as having the greatest impact to marine turtle nesting grounds and non permanent coastal modifications (e.g., special events and beach cleaning) were weighted by experts as having the lowest impact to marine turtle nesting grounds. Managers can use this information to prioritize their efforts and resources to manage marine turtle nesting grounds if funds are available and policy allows.
... Sandy texture is the best material for a turtle nesting area. A beach that arranged by debris material is not suitable for turtle nesting area based on another discovery [14]. The size of sand in Batu Hiu is finer then Pangumbahan. ...
... Extensive research has been conducted to determine how and why marine turtles choose to nest at a particular coastal area and what is needed for a beach to provide suitable nesting habitat (Ackerman, 1980;Kelly et al., 2017;Marco et al., 2017;Mortimer, 1990;Wood et al., 2000;Zavaleta-Lizárraga and Morales-Mávil, 2013). Aspects of what constitutes a suitable nesting beach includes beach topography, accessibility, sand characteristics (grain size, carbonate and moisture content), and level of human disturbance (Ackerman, 1981;Fujisaki and Lamont, 2016;Jacobson, 1994;Mortimer, 1990;Salmon et al., 1995;Wood et al., 2000). Coastal modifications (e.g. ...
Article
Coastal areas are used by both marine turtles and humans which may result in marine turtle nesting grounds being exposed to human activities like coastal modifications. Several studies have investigated the effects of specific types of coastal modifications on marine turtles and their habitat. However, limited information exists on cumulative exposure of nesting grounds to coastal modifications. This study examines the spatial and temporal exposure of 203 marine turtle nesting grounds in Florida to coastal modifications. For this, we used coastal permits issued from 1985 through 2016 as a proxy for coastal modifications. To test the suitability of the permit database as a proxy for coastal modification, 34 marine turtle nesting beaches in the Florida Panhandle were ground-truthed to determine the presence of coastal modifications and their correlation with issued permits. The modification types analyzed were 1) construction landward of dune, 2) construction in dune, 3) construction on beach, 4) construction in water, 5) beach armoring, 6) other shoreline stabilization, 7) beach sand placement, 8) beach cleaning 9) dune vegetation planting, 10) sand fencing, 11) special events, and 12) stormwater outfall. The most common permit type was construction landward of the dune (65.72%), followed by construction within the dune (16.43%). The cumulative number of permits for the state of Florida increased over time (between 1985 and 2016) from less than one thousand permits issued per year to over four thousand permits issued per year. 93.5% of the nesting beaches examined throughout the state were exposed to cumulative coastal modifications. Of the high-density nesting beaches, twenty-six had high exposure to coastal modifications, whereas fifteen had low exposure to coastal modifications. Our study highlights the need for conservation strategies to consider the cumulative impacts of coastal modifications to marine turtle nesting grounds.
... Debris on the beach prevents successful nesting and causes a phenomenon called as 'false crawl' where the females emerge from the water but do not deposit an egg clutch (Fujisaki & Lamont 2016). Artificial lighting too has been reported to disrupt patterns of nesting females (Weishampel et al. 2016). ...
Article
The present study was undertaken to compare beach characteristics associated with turtle nesting in the Andaman group of islands. Karmatang, Kalipur, Ramnagar, Chidiyatapu, Carbyn's Cove, and Wandoor were chosen as study sites. Beach slope, sand grain characteristics, and general vegetation patterns were analysed. The angle of inclination of the beach slope ranged from 2.06 to 8.3 degrees. Beaches with a higher angle had a comparatively higher number of nesting sites. The study shows that a single factor does not make a beach more conducive for nesting. Chidiyatapu has the widest beach but lacks other features and so it is not a preferred nesting site. The grain size of sand in Wandoor is highly favourable, but the intertidal region is not long and there are streams that can drown the nests. Karmatang has a long beach and a higher slope angle. Ramnagar has a moderate beach length and a high slope angle. The dominant grains at both the beaches were found to be granules. The absence of streams and artificial light, fewer number of anthropogenic activities, lack of obstacles, the presence of bordering vegetation, and a conducive beach slope with granular sand grains make Ramnagar, Karmatang, and Kalipur ideal for turtle nesting.
... Debris on the beach prevents successful nesting and causes a phenomenon called as 'false crawl' where the females emerge from the water but do not deposit an egg clutch (Fujisaki & Lamont 2016). Artificial lighting too has been reported to disrupt patterns of nesting females (Weishampel et al. 2016). ...
Article
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The present study was undertaken to compare beach characteristics associated with turtle nesting in the Andaman group of islands. Karmatang, Kalipur, Ramnagar, Chidiyatapu, Carbyn’s Cove, and Wandoor were chosen as study sites. Beach slope, sand grain characteristics, and general vegetation patterns were analysed. The angle of inclination of the beach slope ranged from 2.06 to 8.3 degrees. Beaches with a higher angle had a comparatively higher number of nesting sites. The study shows that a single factor does not make a beach more conducive for nesting. Chidiyatapu has the widest beach but lacks other features and so it is not a preferred nesting site. The grain size of sand in Wandoor is highly favourable, but the intertidal region is not long and there are streams that can drown the nests. Karmatang has a long beach and a higher slope angle. Ramnagar has a moderate beach length and a high slope angle. The dominant grains at both the beaches were found to be granules. The absence of streams and artificial light, fewer number of anthropogenic activities, lack of obstacles, the presence of bordering vegetation, and a conducive beach slope with granular sand grains make Ramnagar, Karmatang, and Kalipur ideal for turtle nesting.
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At present, some 11,440 extant reptile species have been described on Earth and several hundred new species have been described each year since 2008 (Uetz & Hosek 2018). As grazers, seed dispersers, predators, prey and commensal species, reptiles perform crucial functions in ecosystems (Böhm et al. 2013). Reptiles are a hugely diverse group of animals (Pincheira-Donoso et al. 2013) and are adapted to live in a wide range of tropical, temperate and desert terrestrial habitats, as well as freshwater and marine environments (Böhm et al. 2013). That said, reptile species usually have narrower geographic distributions than other vertebrate taxonomic groups (e.g. birds or mammals), and this coupled with particular life history traits makes some reptile species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic threats (Böhm et al. 2013, Fitzgerald et al. 2018). For example, some turtle species are 16 typically very long lived, take years to reach full maturity, produce small clutches and have variable reproductive success, which means that they are vulnerable to loss of adults and take many years to recover from declines (Congdon et al. 1994). Multiple threats to reptile populations have been identified and are implicated in species declines (Gibbons et al. 2000, Todd et al. 2010). These threats include habitat modification, loss and fragmentation (Neilly et al. 2018, Todd et al. 2017), environmental contamination (Sparling et al. 2010), potentially unsustainable harvesting and/or collection (van Cao et al. 2014), invasive species (Fordham et al. 2006), climate change (Bickford et al. 2010, Sinervo et al. 2010) and disease and parasitism (Seigel et al. 2003). Also, due to their physical characteristics, reputation (warranted or otherwise) and in some cases venomous bites, some reptile species are viewed with distaste, which leads to apathy around their conservation (Gibbons et al. 1988). According to the IUCN Red List, of 10,148 reptile species that have been assessed, some 21% are considered to be threatened (IUCN 2021). Extinction risks are particularly high in tropical regions, on oceanic islands and in freshwater environments (Böhm et al. 2013), with some 59% of turtle species assessed at risk of extinction (van Dijk et al. 2014). Reptiles with specialist habitat requirements and limited ranges that are in areas accessible to humans are likely to face greater extinction risks (Böhm et al. 2016). Many island reptile species are endemic and are therefore even more vulnerable to extinction as a result of human disturbance (Fitzgerald et al. 2018). For a comprehensive summary of threats to different families of reptiles see Fitzgerald et al. (2018). Evidence-based knowledge is key for planning successful conservation strategies and for the cost-effective allocation of scarce conservation resources. To date, reptile conservation efforts have involved a broad range of actions, including protection of eggs, nests and nesting sites; protection from predation; translocations; captive breeding, rearing and releasing; habitat protection, restoration and management; and addressing the threats of accidental and intentional harvesting. However, most of the evidence for the effectiveness of these interventions has not yet been synthesised within a formal review and those that have could benefit from periodic updates in light of new research. Targeted reviews are labour-intensive and expensive. Furthermore, they are ill-suited for subject areas where the data are scarce and patchy. Here, we use a subject-wide evidence synthesis approach (Sutherland et al. 2019) to simultaneously summarize the evidence for the wide range of interventions dedicated to the conservation of all reptiles. By simultaneously targeting all interventions, we are able to review the evidence for each intervention cost-effectively, and the resulting synopsis can be updated periodically and efficiently. The synopsis is freely available at www.conservationevidence.com and, alongside the Conservation Evidence online 17 database, is a valuable asset to the toolkit of practitioners and policy makers seeking sound information to support reptile conservation. We aim to periodically update the synopsis to incorporate new research. The methods used to produce the Reptile Conservation Synopsis are outlined below. This synthesis focuses on global evidence for the effectiveness of interventions for the conservation of reptiles. This subject has not yet been covered using subject-wide evidence synthesis. This is defined as a systematic method of reviewing and synthesising evidence that covers broad subjects (in this case conservation of multiple taxa) at once, including all closed review topics within that subject at a fine scale, and analysing results through study summary and expert assessment, or through meta-analysis. The term can also refer to any product arising from this process (Sutherland et al. 2019). This global synthesis collates evidence for the effects of conservation interventions on terrestrial, aquatic and semi-aquatic reptiles, including all reptile orders, i.e. Crocodilia (alligators, crocodiles and gharials), Testudines (turtles and tortoises), Squamata (snakes, lizards and amphisbaenians) and Rhynchocephalia (tuatara). This synthesis covers evidence for the effects of conservation interventions for wild reptiles (i.e. not in captivity). We have not included evidence from the substantial literature on husbandry of marine and freshwater reptiles kept in zoos or aquariums. However, where these interventions are relevant to the conservation of wild declining or threatened species, they have been included, e.g. captive breeding for the purpose of increasing population sizes (potentially for reintroductions) or gene banking (for future release).
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Population abundance data is often used to define species’ conservation status. Abundance of marine turtles is typically determined using information from nesting beach monitoring such as clutch frequency and remigration interval of nesting females. However, studies have shown that clutch frequency determined solely from nesting beach monitoring data can be underestimated. To obtain reliable estimates of clutch frequency for hawksbill turtles in northeastern Brazil (-6.273356 S., -35.036271 W), the region with the highest nesting density in the South Atlantic, data from beach monitoring and satellite telemetry were combined from 2014 to 2019. Beach monitoring data indicated the date of first nesting event, whilst state space modelling of satellite telemetry data indicated the departure date of turtles, allowing calculations of residence length at breeding site and therefore estimation of clutch frequency based on internesting intervals. Nesting females were estimated to nest up to six times within the nesting season and had an average clutch frequency of 4.7 nests per female. This estimate is almost twice larger than previous estimates based only on beach monitoring. The new estimates of clutch frequency will allow for more reliable population abundance estimates for this critically endangered population. Further, to guide future estimates of marine turtle clutch frequency methods to estimate clutch frequency were compared and their advantages and biases were discussed. Our approach and findings highlight the need for reconsideration of how clutch frequency is commonly determined for marine turtle populations and the use of beach monitoring data and satellite telemetry for estimations of clutch frequency.
Article
Entanglement and ingestion of plastics are the main ecological impacts of marine plastic debris on marine biota, but indirect effects such as the transport of alien species and benthic smothering are also important to note. Entanglement of invertebrates, sharks, turtles, birds and marine mammals is mainly caused by macroplastics (>5 mm), and leads to reduced mobility, ineffective foraging and subsequent mortality. The main plastic types associated with entanglement are improperly discarded fishing nets, lines, ropes and straps. In South Africa and surrounding waters, plastic ingestion has been reported in a number of marine species: sharks (n=10), fish (n=7), turtles (n=1) and birds (n=36). Lethal (macroplastic) and sub-lethal effects (microplastic <5 mm) of marine debris on biota have been noted, but at the time of this review there were no published reports on impacts at the population level. Consumed shellfish are possible vectors for the introduction of microplastics into humans. The specific impacts of microplastic ingestion on human health are largely unknown, but additives associated with plastics represent a threat. The research infrastructure in South Africa is insufficient to monitor and characterise marine plastic debris and, in many cases, not in line with global standards. More research effort is needed to understand the impacts of marine plastic debris on humans and marine biota in South Africa, particularly at the population level. SIGNIFICANCE: • Macroplastics affect marine biota mainly via entanglement and microplastics largely through ingestion. • Macro- and microplastic interactions with biota can result in sub-lethal effects and mortality but no population effects have been reported for South Africa. • Consumed shellfish are a potential source of microplastics for humans but their potential effects in humans remain unknown. • Better infrastructure is needed for improved monitoring and research on the effects of marine debris in South Africa.
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Entanglement and ingestion of plastics are the main ecological impacts of marine plastic debris on marine biota, but indirect effects such as the transport of alien species and benthic smothering are also important to note. Entanglement of invertebrates, sharks, turtles, birds and marine mammals is mainly caused by macroplastics (>5 mm), and leads to reduced mobility, ineffective foraging and subsequent mortality. The main plastic types associated with entanglement are improperly discarded fishing nets, lines, ropes and straps. In South Africa and surrounding waters, plastic ingestion has been reported in a number of marine species: sharks (n=10), fish (n=7), turtles (n=1) and birds (n=36). Lethal (macroplastic) and sub-lethal effects (microplastic ≤5 mm) of marine debris on biota have been noted, but at the time of this review there were no published reports on impacts at the population level. Consumed shellfish are possible vectors for the introduction of microplastics into humans. The specific impacts of microplastic ingestion on human health are largely unknown, but additives associated with plastics represent a threat. The research infrastructure in South Africa is insufficient to monitor and characterise marine plastic debris and, in many cases, not in line with global standards. More research effort is needed to understand the impacts of marine plastic debris on humans and marine biota in South Africa, particularly at the population level. Significance: • Macroplastics affect marine biota mainly via entanglement and microplastics largely through ingestion. • Macro- and microplastic interactions with biota can result in sub-lethal effects and mortality but no population effects have been reported for South Africa. • Consumed shellfish are a potential source of microplastics for humans but their potential effects in humans remain unknown. • Better infrastructure is needed for improved monitoring and research on the effects of marine debris in South Africa.
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Marine debris is distributed worldwide and constitutes an increasing threat to our environment. The exponential increase of plastic debris raises numerous concerns and has led to an intensification in plastic monitoring and research. However, global spatial and temporal patterns and knowledge gaps in debris distribution, both on land and at sea, are relatively poorly understood, mainly due to a lack of comprehensive datasets. Here we critically review the quality of the available information on beach plastic debris worldwide to highlight where the most urgent actions are required, and to promote the standardization of reporting metrics and sampling methods among researchers. From a total of 174 studies evaluated, 27.0% reported marine debris densities in metrics that were not comparable. Some studies failed to report basic parameters, such as the date of the sampling (9.8%) or the size of the collected debris (19.5%). Our findings show that current research regarding beach debris requires significant improvement and standardization and would benefit from the adoption of a common reporting framework to promote consensus within the scientific community
Article
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The time it takes a hatchling sea turtle to cross a beach and reach the sea after emergence considerably affects its ability to avoid predators and survive this first journey. Impediments, such as tyre ruts across a hatchling’s route, may increase the travel time and, consequently, reduce the probability of survival. To assess the effects of multiple tyre ruts on the seaward orientation of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles, we performed a census of tracks on several beaches on Boa Vista Island, Cape Verde. Through this census, we were able to calculate the average number of tyre ruts a hatchling is likely to encounter on its way to the sea; we also determined the depth and width of those ruts and the distance between tracks. Based on these results, we designed and carried out a field test to analyse five different experimental treatments along a 15-m test path length. The experimental treatments included minor, moderate, and severe tyre rut scenarios, as well as a management scenario and a control. The length of time it took hatchlings (n = 162) to traverse each treatment was recorded. We found that each treatment significantly affected the time it took the hatchlings to reach the sea, and our generalized linear models (GLMs) indicated that it took the turtles longer to cross the areas with a greater number of tracks and with deeper tracks. Our results show that vehicle use on beaches has an effect on loggerhead hatchling dispersal. These findings highlight the importance of beach management and the promotion of a sustainable development plan to increase hatchling recruitment.
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The dash of freshly emerged hatchlings to the sea is a short but critical phase in the life cycle of sea turtles. We examine the time spent on a Mediterranean beach from the perspective of substrate composition and temperature, marine debris, and hatchling crawling speeds and times. Crawling speeds depended on beach quality. The hatchlings crawled significantly faster on sand than on cobbles, and cooler temperatures considerably prolonged the crawls. Marine debris was a major impediment: hatchlings were severely entangled in fishing nets and entrapped in simple containers such as plastic cups and cut-open canisters. They never avoided contact with such experimentally deployed debris or reversed their direction to escape. The overall debris density at the study site averaged 1.03 items m−2, mostly plastic, and 2 out of 3 hatchlings had contact with such debris on the way to the sea. Marine debris is a new aspect of habitat quality for sea turtle nesting site monitoring and conservation efforts and may help explain the long-term decline in nest numbers on this beach. This serves as a case study for the role of habitat quality in the survival of endangered species.
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Marine turtles in the Gulf of Mexico are at risk due to many anthropogenic threats including habitat degradation, commercial fishing, and petroleum activities. The severity of this risk was made apparent in 2010 with the occurrence of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The objectives of this study were to assess long-term trends in abundance and reproductive parameters for this genetically distinct nesting group. From 1994 to 2010, morning surveys were conducted along 3 beaches on the St Joseph Peninsula, Florida, including within our primary study site on Cape San Blas. Nest abundance on all 3 beaches declined by at least 47% (p < 0.01). Mean nesting success on Cape San Blas was 40% and also declined (p = 0.002). Mean clutch size was 108 and mean emergence success was 58%. Throughout the study there were no changes in clutch size and emergence success. We found that nesting characteristics for the northern Gulf of Mexico subpopulation appear similar to those from other loggerhead turtle nesting groups in the southeastern United States in some ways, such as emergence success, timing of peak nesting, and incubation duration and different in other ways such as nesting success. Variation in some of the parameters may indicate turtles among the different nesting groups experience different environmental conditions. The severity of declines in nest abundance and the low nesting success reported for this small subpopulation suggest potentially serious consequences for this nesting group.
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Nest placement by loggerhead turtles nesting on the island of Cephalonia, Greece, was examined. The spatial distribution of nests was not uniform (N = 27 nests): they tended to be laid away from the sea, but not in vegetation that backed the beach. Hatchling success (recorded for eight nests) increased significantly for nests laid further from the sea. Hence most nests were laid in positions where hatchling success was high. Six individuals were observed to nest more than once. Each of these multiple nesters showed little consistency in the distance that they nested from the sea (i.e. within-individual variation was high), and hence no significant differences in nest positioning between individuals were detected. Digging attempts in the vegetation behind the beach were frequently aborted (71% of attempts), but attempts in the open sand between the vegetation and the sea were aborted less often (11% of attempts). Sand temperatures at the depths where eggs incubated were higher further from the sea. The implications of nest placement for hatchling sex ratio are discussed.
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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 Marinas
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Lost and discarded marine debris, particularly items made of persistent synthetic materials, is now recognized as a major form of marine pollution. This perception was a seminal finding of the 1984 International Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris (Shomura and Yoshida 1985). A major factor leading to this conclusion was information on the nature and extent of interactions between marine debris and marine life gathered by researchers working independently in different ocean areas during the 1970s and early 1980s. Compiled for the first time at the 1984 workshop, the information highlighted two fundamental types of biological interactions: (1) entanglement, whereby the loops and openings of various types of debris entangle animal appendages or entrap animals; and (2) ingestion, whereby debris items are intentionally or accidentally eaten and enter the digestive tract.
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Although barrier island beaches provide important nesting habitat for sea turtles, they are constantly changing. To determine how nesting sea turtles have responded to this dynamic environment, we assessed: 1) wind, current, and tidal patterns and changes in beach profiles, 2) sea turtle nesting patterns, and 3) success of turtle nests deposited along 5 km of beach on Cape San Blas, Florida, an extremely dynamic barrier beach in northwest Florida. From 1998 to 2000, nesting turtles were tagged, nests were monitored, and hatching success was determined. Throughout this study, West beach lost  5 m of sand while East beach gained  4 m; however 61% of nests were deposited on West beach and 39% on East beach. Hatchling emergence success did not differ between beaches. Wind direction influenced current direction and sand movement and affected the number of nests deposited along East beach but not on West beach. Nearly all nests (98%) oviposited on both beaches were deposited during a rising tide. Although West beach is narrow and eroding, the steep slope may enable nesting turtles to expend less energy to reach higher nesting sites while still providing successful nests. Nesting on a rising tide and using offshore currents during the internesting period may assist this effort.
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Industrial logging is expanding rapidly in Central African rainforests. We suggest that logging operations in this region pose an indirect threat to nesting marine turtles, especially the Critically Endangered leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea. This occurs because some logs are being lost or abandoned during downriver transport to coastal timber yards; the lost logs float out to sea and then often wash ashore, where they accumulate on beaches used by nesting turtles. We used a light aircraft to survey logs along the entire coastline of Gabon, and also studied the impacts of logs at Pongara Beach, one of the world's most important turtle nesting areas, during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 breeding seasons. Nearly 11,000 lost logs were counted along Gabon's beaches, with an estimated commercial value of USD 11.1 million. Logs were unevenly distributed along the coast, reaching a peak density of 247 logs km-1. At Pongara, logs blocked 30.5% of the beach. These logs had a number of negative effects on marine turtles, causing 8-14% of all nesting attempts (n = 2,163) to be aborted or disrupted. Initiatives to remove lost logs and driftwood from critical nesting beaches may be the most effective means to reduce their deleterious impacts on threatened marine turtles.
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We provide a brief synopsis of the unique physical and ecological attributes of sandy beach ecosystems and review the main anthropogenic pressures acting on the world's single largest type of open shoreline. Threats to beaches arise from a range of stressors which span a spectrum of impact scales from localised effects (e.g. trampling) to a truly global reach (e.g. sea-level rise). These pressures act at multiple temporal and spatial scales, translating into ecological impacts that are manifested across several dimensions in time and space so that today almost every beach on every coastline is threatened by human activities. Press disturbances (whatever the impact source involved) are becoming increasingly common, operating on time scales of years to decades. However, long-term data sets that describe either the natural dynamics of beach systems or the human impacts on beaches are scarce and fragmentary. A top priority is to implement long-term field experiments and monitoring programmes that quantify the dynamics of key ecological attributes on sandy beaches. Because of the inertia associated with global climate change and human population growth, no realistic management scenario will alleviate these threats in the short term. The immediate priority is to avoid further development of coastal areas likely to be directly impacted by retreating shorelines. There is also scope for improvement in experimental design to better distinguish natural variability from anthropogenic impacts. Sea-level rise and other effects of global warming are expected to intensify other anthropogenic pressures, and could cause unprecedented ecological impacts. The definition of the relevant scales of analysis, which will vary according to the magnitude of the impact and the organisational level under analysis, and the recog-nition of a physical–biological coupling at different scales, should be included in approaches to quantify impacts. Zoning strategies and marine reserves, which have not been widely implemented in sandy beaches, could be a key tool for biodiversity conservation and should also facilitate spillover effects into adjacent beach habitats. Setback and zoning strategies need to be enforced through legislation, and all relevant stakeholders should be included in the design, implementation and institutionalisation of these initiatives. New perspectives for rational management of sandy beaches require paradigm shifts, by including not only basic ecosystem principles, but also incentives for effective governance and sharing of management roles between government and local stakeholders.
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The present status of beach management carried out by the lowest level of administration (municipalities) along the Catalan coast (NE Spanish Mediterranean) was analysed to detect the main problems and priorities. This analysis was undertaken by analysing answers to a questionnaire provided by personnel involved in beach management in 38 municipalities covering a coastline of 430 km. As tourism is the main economic activity in the area, current beach management is recreationally oriented. The beach is considered a product/service on offer to users and visitors. The main concern of managers was the appearance of sediment-management related problems. Although municipalities are the main “receivers” of erosion-induced problems, actions to solve or counteract such problems are decided, designed and executed at a different administrative level. This reflects the complex administrative scheme governing the coastal area in Spain, where three different administrations have different jurisdictional powers over a narrow piece of land.
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For the first time, we documented regional differences in amounts and long-term trends of marine debris along the US Atlantic coast. The Southeast Atlantic had low land-based and general-source debris loads as well as no increases despite a 19% increase in coastal population. The Northeast (8% population increase) also had low land-based and general-source debris loads and no increases. The Mid-Atlantic (10% population increase) fared the worst, with heavy land-based and general-source debris loads that increased over time. Ocean-based debris did not change in the Northeast where the fishery is relatively stable; it declined over the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and was correlated with declining regional fisheries. Drivers, including human population, land use status, fishing activity, and oceanic current systems, had complex relationships with debris loads at local and regional scales. Management challenges remain undeniably large but solid information from long-term programs is one key to addressing this pressing pollution issue.
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Marine debris is listed among the major perceived threats to biodiversity, and is cause for particular concern due to its abundance, durability and persistence in the marine environment. An extensive literature search reviewed the current state of knowledge on the effects of marine debris on marine organisms. 340 original publications reported encounters between organisms and marine debris and 693 species. Plastic debris accounted for 92% of encounters between debris and individuals. Numerous direct and indirect consequences were recorded, with the potential for sublethal effects of ingestion an area of considerable uncertainty and concern. Comparison to the IUCN Red List highlighted that at least 17% of species affected by entanglement and ingestion were listed as threatened or near threatened. Hence where marine debris combines with other anthropogenic stressors it may affect populations, trophic interactions and assemblages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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We experimentally studied the nesting behavior and nest-site choice of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) that emerged to nest at night on a beach in southern Brevard County, Florida USA. Emerging turtles were divided between two paired treatments: wall and control. Intercepted turtles in the wall treatment were presented a portable wall that blocked their ascent of the beach. The position of the portable wall was shore-parallel and midway between the recent wrack line and the dune toe. Intercepted turtles in the control treatment ascended the beach and did not encounter a wall. We observed individual turtles in both wall and control treatments so that their nesting behavior could be measured. We observed 44 female loggerheads (22 paired samples). In the control treatment, 15 of 22 turtles completed a nest, and in the wall treatment, 14 of 22 turtles completed a nest. There was no significant difference in nesting success (nests/attempts) between treatments (Chi-square = 0.10, p = 0.75). However, effects from the wall resulted in wall-treatment nests being 3.5 m closer to the surf than control nests, on average. Although it was possible for turtles to nest within 0.5 m of the wall, mean distance of nests from the wall was 3.2 m (SD ± 2.0 m). Although the wall affected the location where nesting occurred, there was no observable effect on the effort turtles made to prepare the nest site, dig an egg chamber, fill it with eggs, cover the eggs, or camouflage the nest site. Egg survivorship did not differ significantly between treatments; however, the sample size was not large enough to detect biologically significant differences in hatching success amidst the high variation in the data. An additional factor that made our test of hatching success less rigorous was the absence of significant beach erosion during the study period. Erosion has been shown to be the principal cause of mortality for nests low on the beach and can cause 100% mortality in the region of beach where the wall-treatment nests were located.Research highlights► We studied nesting of sea turtles presented a portable wall that blocked beach ascent. ► The wall caused nests to be closer to the surf than expected from a simple barrier. ► Nesting turtles likely responded to visual stimuli from the wall. ► Erosion can cause extensive mortality in nests near the surf.
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Marine debris (marine litter) is one of the most pervasive and solvable pollution problems plaguing the world’s oceans and waterways. Nets, food wrappers, cigarette filters, bottles, resin pellets, and other debris items can have serious impacts on wildlife, habitat, and human safety. Successful management of the problem requires a comprehensive understanding of both marine debris and human behavior. Knowledge is key for consumers to make appropriate choices when it comes to using and disposing of waste items. Education and outreach programs, strong laws and policies, and governmental and private enforcement are the building blocks for a successful marine pollution prevention initiative. The plastic industry also has a role to play in educating its employees and customers, and searching for technological mitigation strategies.
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A detailed survey of the nesting by green turtles (Chelonia mydas) on Ascension Island (7°57′ S, 14°22′ W) was conducted between 1 December 1998 and 1 October 1999. During this period there was a total estimate of 36,036 marine turtle nesting activities, resulting in the deposition of an estimated 13,881 clutches (95% confidence limits 13,092–14,660). These data suggest that 2–3 times more turtles nested than when previous detailed surveys were undertaken in the 1970′s. The peak of nesting was in March, with 95% of nesting activity being recorded between 4 January and 18 May. Possible reasons for the evolution of the seasonality of nesting are discussed. Individual beaches varied greatly in density of nesting activities (range=534–10,001 activities/km; mean=6204 activities/km), density of nests (range=213–5200 nests/km; mean=2390 nests/km) and the proportion of nesting activities resulting in nests (nesting success; range=0.13–0.52; mean=0.39).
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The coast of Gabon is one of the most important nesting sites for the endangered leatherback sea turtle Dermochelys coriacea. In this study, hatchling orientation was recorded during natural emergences at Pongara National Park, Gabon. This nesting beach is located close to both the capital of Gabon and a developing resort area, Pointe Denis. Under natural conditions most sea turtle hatchlings emerge at night and orient to the ocean by crawling away from dark, high silhouettes landward towards the bright, low seaward horizons. Artificial lights interfere with natural cues and disrupt hatchling orientation. The relative influence of artificial lights, logs and erosion were assessed on the nesting beach in Pongara National Park using a linear mixed model. We found that the attraction to artificial lights was higher than the effect of silhouette cues landward alone, but could be balanced by the simultaneous presence of the moon. Based upon these results, we recommend combining light management in the resort area to reduce the light pollution on the nesting beach and reinforcement of natural cues landward to minimize the effect of the remaining light pollution from the capital.
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Beaches are very important to Australians but are presently threatened by several forms of environmental degradation. Beach management has traditionally concentrated on geomorphic hazards and the recreational human-use of beaches, but has largely ignored the ecological and broader environmental values of beaches. In this paper beaches are conceived as multidimensional environmental systems — `beach environments’ — that are nested within larger coastal systems and comprised of interacting natural, socio-cultural and management systems. These three component systems of beach environments have usually been considered separately. It is argued that a focus on both the component systems of beach environments and interactions among these systems is necessary for improvements in the management, conservation and overall environmental quality of beaches. Interactions among natural, socio-cultural and management systems are specified in a simple model of beach environments. A brief review of our knowledge on these interactions indicates that fundamental information is lacking in Australia and the ramifications are potentially severe. The concept of beach environments provides an appropriate context for the collection of relevant information, the collaboration necessary between researchers and managers and a new setting for beach environmental management. Several opportunities are outlined for beach management.
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The sedimentological role of large woody debris (LWD) on beaches is understudied and is relevant for the morphodynamics of sandy, high-energy beach–dune systems of the northeast Pacific Ocean. On the west coast of Canada, this debris consists largely of historical escape logs from the coastal logging industry. In areas with competent wind regimes, LWD can trap appreciable amounts of windblown sand in the backshore, which can alter beach–foredune sediment budgets and initiate incipient dune formation. As this additional store of sediment must be reworked first during high water events, it provides an important buffer that reduces erosion of established foredunes.
Declining reproductive parameters highlight conservation needs for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the northern Gulf of Mexico
  • M M Lamont
  • R R Carthy
  • I Fujksaki
Lamont, M.M., Carthy, R.R., Fujksaki, I., 2012. Declining reproductive parameters highlight conservation needs for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Chelonian Conserv. Biol. 11, 190-196.
Does rainforest logging threaten marine turtles?
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