Diving behavior and movements of juvenile hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata on a Caribbean coral reef

Blumenthal, J. M.; Austin, Timothy J.; Bothwell, John; Broderick, Annette C.; Ebanks‐Petrie, Gina; Olynik, Jeremy; Orr, Melanie; Solomon, J. L.; Witt, Matthew J.; Godley, Brendan J.

doi:10.1007/s00338-008-0416-1

Cited by 62 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…maximum dive depth, dive duration) with body size, although this may be a reflection of the study site as well as the number and recording duration of the TDRs. This lack of scaling contrasts to that found in similar-sized juvenile hawksbill turtles occupying deeper reef and reef wall habitats, which no doubt provide a greater choice of depths at which to rest and forage (van Dam & Diez 1996, Blumenthal et al 2009b). However, the larger individuals in the present study seemed to undertake short-term movements to deeper habitats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Visual surveying efforts have provided considerable knowledge on the behaviour of marine turtles in foraging habitats (Houghton et al 2003, Schofield et al 2006), yet the presence of researchers could represent a disturbing force, and some areas may be inaccessible. Static acoustic monitoring arrays can be used to track the movements of individuals fitted with acoustic transmitters (Blumenthal et al 2009b); however, this commonly requires a large financial investment to resolve movement at fine scales. These fiscal and logistical obstacles should not, however, detract from gath- ering movement data, particularly for species of conservation concern, where bio-logged data are of increasing utility (Cooke 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…TDRs recorded pressure (pounds per square inch, psi) and ambient temperature (°C) at a frequency of 10 s to a maximum of 7.6 d with a depth resolution of 0.05 m with ±1% accuracy. TDRs and acoustic transmitters were housed together in bespoke plastic units (Blumenthal et al 2009b). The mean total package mass, including an estimated mass for epoxy, as a percentage of body mass (in air) was 0.95 ± 0.66% (range = 0.24 to 2.57%) and therefore negligible in water.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Reef occupancy will be driven by several factors, including the spatial distribution of preferred dietary items (Meylan 1988), an individual's relative capacity to dive to exploit these items and predator avoidance tactics (van Dam & Diez 1996). As their mass and subsequent capacity to attain greater dive depths increases (Mori 2002, Hochscheid et al 2007), larger juvenile turtles are able to transit to deeper habitats in search of food, most likely driving niche partitioning (Blumenthal et al 2009b). Previous work has suggested that although juveniles make sequential moves between foraging grounds (Meylan 1999), home ranges are typically small (0.07 to 0.14 km 2 , van Dam & Diez 1998; 545 ± 515 m capture to recapture, Blumenthal et al 2009a).…”

Section: Open Pen Access Ccessmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous TDR studies on hawksbill turtles have been carried out in the vicinity of reef wall habitats in Puerto Rico (van Dam & Diez 1996, 1997 and the Cayman Islands (Blumenthal et al 2009b). Here we assessed patterns of habitat utilisation in an extensive shallow reef system to ascertain whether there was any sizespecific structuring and diel patterns.…”

Section: Open Pen Access Ccessmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inferring vertical and horizontal movements of juvenile marine turtles from time-depth recorders

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et al. 2010

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 62%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Open Pen Access Ccessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Open Pen Access Ccessmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inferring vertical and horizontal movements of juvenile marine turtles from time-depth recorders

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High rates of growth recorded for hawksbill sea turtles in Anegada, British Virgin Islands

Hawkes

McGowan

Broderick

et al. 2014

Ecology and Evolution

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Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such as rates of recruitment, survival, and growth. In the Caribbean, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been historically exploited in huge numbers to satisfy trade in their shells and meat. In the present study, we estimated growth rate of juvenile hawksbill turtles around Anegada, British Virgin Islands, using capture–mark–recapture of 59 turtles over periods of up to 649 days. Turtles were recaptured up to six times, having moved up to 5.9 km from the release location. Across all sizes, turtles grew at an average rate of 9.3 cm year−1 (range 2.3–20.3 cm year−1), and gained mass at an average of 3.9 kg year−1 (range 850 g–16.1 kg year−1). Carapace length was a significant predictor of growth rate and mass gain, but there was no relationship between either variable and sea surface temperature. These are among the fastest rates of growth reported for this species, with seven turtles growing at a rate that would increase their body size by more than half per year (51–69% increase in body length). This study also demonstrates the importance of shallow water reef systems for the developmental habitat for juvenile hawksbill turtles. Although growth rates for posthatching turtles in the pelagic, and turtles larger than 61 cm, are not known for this population, the implications of this study are that Caribbean hawksbill turtles in some areas may reach body sizes suggesting sexual maturity in less time than previously considered.

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Tracking hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) during inter-nesting intervals around Barbados

2012

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Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) nesting in Barbados (Needham's Point, 13° 04Ј 41.33ЈЈ N, 59° 36Ј 32.69ЈЈW) were outWtted with GPS dataloggers over three breeding seasons (2008)(2009)(2010) to track movement during inter-nesting intervals. Most females established spatially restricted resident areas up current and within 7 km of the nesting beach where they spent the majority of the inter-nesting interval. Females nesting earlier in the season settled on shallower sites. Only experienced remigrant turtles occupied the most distant resident areas. Females tracked for multiple inter-nesting intervals exhibited site Wdelity, but the area contracted and the activity of females decreased with each successive interval. Hawksbills may trade oV site characteristics with distance from the nesting beach and reduce activity over the course of the breeding season to optimise energy reserves during inter-nesting intervals.

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Diving behavior and movements of juvenile hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata on a Caribbean coral reef

Cited by 62 publications

References 57 publications

Inferring vertical and horizontal movements of juvenile marine turtles from time-depth recorders

Inferring vertical and horizontal movements of juvenile marine turtles from time-depth recorders

High rates of growth recorded for hawksbill sea turtles in Anegada, British Virgin Islands

Tracking hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) during inter-nesting intervals around Barbados

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