Comparative Health Assessment of Western Pacific Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys Coriacea) Foraging Off the Coast of California, 2005–2007

Harris, Heather; Benson, Scott R.; Gilardi, Kirsten; Poppenga, Robert H.; Work, Thierry M.; Dutton, Peter H.; Mazet, Jonna A. K.

doi:10.7589/0090-3558-47.2.321

Cited by 54 publications

(56 citation statements)

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“…The PCV of the leatherbacks in our study was similar to reports from other studies of nesting female leatherbacks from Gabon, Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea, and St. Croix [1], [4], [51] and to non-reproductive male and female leatherbacks captured off the coasts of Georgia and Massachusetts [3]. Packed cell volume was much lower in Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean basin nesting females [1], [4], [5, this study] compared to foraging individuals off the coast of California. This difference could be related to nutritional differences of Atlantic and Pacific leatherbacks [4].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

“…Deem et al [32] found no significant differences between total protein concentrations in nesting female loggerheads and foraging loggerheads from Georgia; however, Harris et al [4] found significantly lower total protein concentrations in nesting leatherbacks from Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica, and St. Croix when compared to individuals foraging off the coast of California. Direct comparisons with our values should not be made because Harris et al [4] measured total protein with a plasma biochemistry analyzer, which calculates concentrations using proprietary formulas based upon mammalian blood. Our values were determined by direct electrophoretic measurement [34], [35].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Blood collection is common in sea turtle studies and is often used in population genetics to identify management units [11]. Published blood parameters are limited in sample size and population/geographic coverage for leatherback turtles: nesting females from Gabon, Africa [1], Trinidad [2], Papua New Guinea [4], Costa Rica [4], St. Croix, USVI [4], Equatorial Guinea [5], wild-caught and entangled males and females from Georgia & Massachusetts, USA [3], and Pacific foraging males and females [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maternal Health Status Correlates with Nest Success of Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida

et al. 2012

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Of the seven sea turtle species, the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) exhibits the lowest and most variable nest success (i.e., hatching success and emergence success) for reasons that remain largely unknown. In an attempt to identify or rule out causes of low reproductive success in this species, we established the largest sample size (n = 60–70 for most values) of baseline blood parameters (protein electrophoresis, hematology, plasma biochemistry) for this species to date. Hematologic, protein electrophoretic and biochemical values are important tools that can provide information regarding the physiological condition of an individual and population health as a whole. It has been proposed that the health of nesting individuals affects their reproductive output. In order to establish correlations with low reproductive success in leatherback sea turtles from Florida, we compared maternal health indices to hatching success and emergence success of their nests. As expected, hatching success (median = 57.4%) and emergence success (median = 49.1%) in Floridian leatherbacks were low during the study period (2007–2008 nesting seasons), a trend common in most nesting leatherback populations (average global hatching success = ∼50%). One protein electrophoretic value (gamma globulin protein) and one hematologic value (red blood cell count) significantly correlated with hatching success and emergence success. Several maternal biochemical parameters correlated with hatching success and/or emergence success including alkaline phosphatase activity, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, calcium∶phosphorus ratio, carbon dioxide, cholesterol, creatinine, and phosphorus. Our results suggest that in leatherbacks, physiological parameters correlate with hatching success and emergence success of their nests. We conclude that long-term and comparative studies are needed to determine if certain individuals produce nests with lower hatching success and emergence success than others, and if those individuals with evidence of chronic suboptimal health have lower reproductive success.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maternal Health Status Correlates with Nest Success of Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida

et al. 2012

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“…10) show that only large leatherbacks (SCL > 1.3 m), likely much older than 5 yr, are observed east of 150°W. Individuals observed close to the coast of California are also in this size range (Harris et al 2011). This indicates that 5 yr old leatherbacks are unlikely to be present in the easternmost part of the basin.…”

Section: The Need To Go Beyond Passive Drift Modelingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oceanic dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles: going beyond passive drift modeling

Gaspar

Benson

Dutton

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The current paper presents the first detailed investigation of open-ocean dispersal of hatchlings and juveniles of the critically endangered western Pacific leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea populations nesting in New Guinea. Dispersal patterns were simulated by releasing particles drifting passively, or almost passively, into a state-of-the-art World Ocean circulation model. Analysis of the simulation results combined with sighting, genetic, bycatch, and adult satellite tracking information reveals that: (1) Hatchlings emerging from the main New Guinea nesting beaches are likely to be entrained by highly variable oceanic currents into the North Pacific, South Pacific, or Indian Oceans. Those drifting into the Indian Ocean likely suffer very high mortality. This suggests that, as ocean current variability determines the partition of hatchlings into different dispersal areas, it also largely influences juvenile survival rate at the population level. (2) Within 1 to 2 yr, most passively drifting juveniles reach temperate oceanic regions where the water temperature in winter drops well below the minimum temperature likely tolerated by such small individuals. This leads us to hypothesize that, after an initial period of mostly passive drift, juveniles initiate active swimming towards lower (warmer) latitudes before winter and back again towards higher latitudes, where food abounds, during spring. Such seasonal migrations would significantly slow the eastward progression of individuals circulating in the North Pacific current. This slower drift scenario better explains the size distribution of leatherbacks observed, or incidentally caught by pelagic fisheries, in the North Pacific. This dispersal mechanism combining passive drift with active habitat-driven seasonal migrations might well apply to many other sea turtle populations and deserves further study.

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“…Pb, Hg, Cd and As) but significantly lower hepatic Fe levels compared with those indicated by (albeit scarce) existing data on Dermochelys coriacea (Davenport & Wrench 1990, Caurant et al 1999, Godley et al 1999, Deem et al 2006, Guirlet et al 2008, Innis et al 2010, Harris et al 2011. The data obtained for Se, Zn, Hg, Cd and Pb concentrations were also higher than those reported for loggerhead and green sea turtles from the Mediterranean area (Andreani et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Post-mortem investigations on a leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea stranded along the Northern Adriatic coastline

Poppi

Zaccaroni²,

Pasotto³

et al. 2012

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea are regularly reported in the Mediterranean Sea but rarely reach the northern Adriatic Sea. In the summer of 2009, a well-preserved carcass of an adult female of this species was found dead along the coast of Lido di Venezia. A complete necropsy was carried out, along with evaluation of levels of tissue trace elements. The the post-mortem revealed acute severe bacterial gastroenteritis caused by Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida, an opportunistic agent that infected an apparently debilitated animal weakened by ingested plastic debris. High levels of heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Cd and As) found in the liver and kidneys might have contributed to the animal's demise. These findings support previous indications that marine debris is one of the major threats to marine animals, particularly for critically endangered species such as the leatherback turtle.KEY WORDS: Leatherback turtle · Photobacterium damselae ssp. piscicida · Marine debris · Adriatic SeaResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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Comparative Health Assessment of Western Pacific Leatherback Turtles (Dermochelys Coriacea) Foraging Off the Coast of California, 2005–2007

Cited by 54 publications

References 54 publications

Maternal Health Status Correlates with Nest Success of Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida

Maternal Health Status Correlates with Nest Success of Leatherback Sea Turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida

Oceanic dispersal of juvenile leatherback turtles: going beyond passive drift modeling

Post-mortem investigations on a leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea stranded along the Northern Adriatic coastline

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