Evaluating the impacts of coastal squeeze on sea turtle nesting
Authored by Yiannis Matsinos, Antonios D Mazaris, John D Pantis
Date Published: 2009
DOI: 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2008.10.005
Sponsors:
European Social Fund
Platforms:
No platforms listed
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
Recent studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence about
the importance of hatchling production for sea turtle population
dynamics. Therefore, understanding the effect of nesting habitat loss as
a factor leading to hatchling reduction is essential in order to
establish conservation plans for the recovery of sea turtle populations.
In the present study, we developed a method to quantify habitat loss and
link it with hatchling production. We used data for loggerhead sea
turtles (Caretta caretta) collected at Sekania nesting beach, western
Greece, to describe biological and behavioral attributes of nesting
individuals. Spatial characteristics of the nesting site were analyzed
and alternative scenarios of habitat loss were examined. We then used
circle-packing technique to evaluate the impact of an increasingly
reduced available nesting area on the spatial distribution of nests. An
increased number of nests within the study site resulted in
density-dependent processes regulating hatchling production. Under the
different scenarios, we evaluated the risk of the laying nests exceeding
the estimated carrying capacity of the nesting beach. Our results
clearly demonstrated the need to apply direct and efficient conservation
measures at Sekania nesting site to minimize further habitat loss from
human-related processes and a rising sea level, The approach developed
evaluates the effect of habitat loss upon nesting by linking it with
quantifiable processes (density dependence), providing a conservation
tool to guide planning decisions towards the conservation of the sea
turtle population. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Tags
Individual-based model
site selection
Climate-change
Caretta-caretta
Chelonia-mydas
Guianan leatherback turtles
Dermochelys-coriacea
Level rise
Eretmochelys-imbricata
Beach
nourishment