Physiological changes in post-hatchling green turtles (Chelonia mydas) following short-term fasting: implications for release protocols

March, Duane T.; Ariel, Ellen; Munns, Suzanne L.; Rudd, Donna; Blyde, David; Christidis, Leslie; Kelaher, Brendan P.

doi:10.1093/conphys/coz016

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…In vertebrates, digestion results in increased bicarbonate concentrations (HCO 3 2 ), with an accompanied increase in blood pH. This so-called alkaline tide is especially marked in reptiles (Hartzler et al 2006;Sherwood et al 2012) and has also been reported in green turtles (March et al 2019). Electrolyte shifts in the fed state, relative to the fasted state, may have led to the increased intra-animal variability observed for R i and R inf 72 h postprandial.…”

Section: Postprandial State Effectsmentioning

confidence: 97%

A Standardized Protocol for Measuring Bioelectrical Impedance in Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Kophamel¹,

Ward²,

Ariel³

et al. 2023

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is gaining popularity in wildlife studies as a portable technology for immediate and nondestructive predictions of body composition components, such as fat-free and fat masses. Successful application of BIA for field-based research requires the identification and control of potential sources of error, as well as the creation of and adherence to a standardized protocol for measurement. The aim of our study was to determine sources of error and to provide a standardization protocol to improve measurement precision of BIA on juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas; n p 35). We assessed the effects of altered environmental temperature (207C-307C), postprandial state (2-72 h), and time out of the water (2 h) on five impedance parameters (resistance at infinite frequency [R inf ], resistance at zero frequency [R 0 ], resistance at 50 kHz [R 50 ], phase angle at 50 kHz [PhA 50 ], and intracellular resistance [R i ]) using a bioimpedance spectroscopy device. Technical reproducibility of measurements and interanimal variability were also assessed. We found an inverse exponential relationship between change in environmental tem-perature and impedance parameters R inf , R 0 , and R 50 . Postprandial state significantly increased R inf and R i 72 h after feeding. BIA measurements were reproducible within individual juvenile green turtles at temperatures from 207C to 307C. Significant variation in impedance values was found between animals at all temperatures, sampling times, and postprandial states, but the relative differences (%) were small in magnitude. Our study suggests that measurement precision is improved by measuring animals at consistent environmental temperatures close to their preferred thermal range. We propose a standardized protocol of measurement conditions to facilitate laboratory and field use of BIA for body composition assessment studies in turtles.

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Section: Postprandial State Effectsmentioning

confidence: 97%

A Standardized Protocol for Measuring Bioelectrical Impedance in Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Kophamel¹,

Ward²,

Ariel³

et al. 2023

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology

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“…Although nitrogenous waste can be excreted by the reptilian kidney with varying amounts of urea, the relative amounts of uric acid and ammonia depend on the species 44 . Serum urea levels can also vary with the fasting state of the animal, 37,45 whereas serum uric acid levels are consistently elevated in compromised animals 3,4 . A similar process occurs in humans, where increased central venous pressures secondary to compromised cardiac function resulted in renal impairment 46 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of echocardiography as a health assessment tool in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)

March

Marshall

Swan³

et al. 2020

Aust Veterinary J

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There are limited techniques available to assess the health of sea turtles as physical examination has little correlation to clinical findings, and blood reference intervals are broad and provide limited prognostic significance. Advances in the portability of ultrasound machines allow echocardiography to be increasingly used in the health assessments of wild animals. This study performed blood analysis and echocardiograms on 11 green sea turtles upon admission to a rehabilitation clinic and six animals before release. Significant differences were seen between groups, with admission animals having significantly smaller diameters of the cavum arteriosum at systole and diastole, smaller E‐waves and an increased fractional shortening. Pre‐release animals displayed significant increases in the maximum blood velocities of both the pulmonary artery and the left aorta. Significant negative correlations were seen between fractional shortening and uric acid and between the velocity time integral of the pulmonary artery and urea. The pulmonary artery velocity time integral was also significantly correlated to the E wave. Furthermore, there was asynchrony between the cavum arteriosum and the cavum pulmonale and the detection of a parasitic granuloma in the ventricular outflow tract of one animal. Overall, the results suggest that cardiac function in stranded green sea turtles is significantly impaired and that echocardiography has applications in the health assessments of green sea turtles.

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Morphometrics and blood analytes of leatherback sea turtle hatchlings (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida: reference intervals, temporal trends with clutch deposition date, and body size correlations

Perrault¹,

Page-Karjian

Morgan

et al. 2022

J Comp Physiol B

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Physiological changes in post-hatchling green turtles (Chelonia mydas) following short-term fasting: implications for release protocols

Cited by 6 publications

References 58 publications

A Standardized Protocol for Measuring Bioelectrical Impedance in Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

A Standardized Protocol for Measuring Bioelectrical Impedance in Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

The use of echocardiography as a health assessment tool in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Morphometrics and blood analytes of leatherback sea turtle hatchlings (Dermochelys coriacea) from Florida: reference intervals, temporal trends with clutch deposition date, and body size correlations

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