Across the Pacific, populations of some species of sea turtles face extinction unless recent dramatic declines are reversed. The continuing decline of leatherbacks and loggerheads in particular ...illustrates the limitations of the current gradual and unilateral approach to conservation. Recovery requires instead a holistic solution that addresses all sources of mortality throughout the entire life history and habitat use of these transnational populations.
Historically conservation efforts have focused on nesting sites to protect eggs and breeding females; mortality from coastal and highseas fisheries was not addressed. In the past five years, these recovery efforts have widened to include rigorously curtailing fishing and technological fixes that lower rates of incidental sea turtle deaths during fishing. Although each of these approaches shows promise, it has become increasingly clear that they alone will not recover severely depleted populations.
Recognizing the urgency of the problem, this book presents ideas and case studies by conservation biologists, economists, marine life policy experts, fishing industry and fisheries professionals, management specialists, and development assistance researchers. It provides a new synthesis and blueprint for action that shifts the paradigm from piecemeal and unilateral conservation to a more holistic and multilateral approach to the recovery of Pacific sea turtle populations.
The globally widespread adoption of Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) began in the mid‐20th century. Yet, it is only in the last decade that a renewed research focus has emerged into its impacts on ...ecological and biological processes in the marine environment that are guided by natural intensities, moon phase, natural light and dark cycles and daily light spectra alterations. The field has diversified rapidly from one restricted to impacts on a handful of vertebrates, to one in which impacts have been quantified across a broad array of marine and coastal habitats and species. Here, we review the current understanding of ALAN impacts in diverse marine ecosystems. The review presents the current state of knowledge across key marine and coastal ecosystems (sandy and rocky shores, coral reefs and pelagic) and taxa (birds and sea turtles), introducing how ALAN can mask seabird and sea turtle navigation, cause changes in animals predation patterns and failure of coral spawning synchronization, as well as inhibition of zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration. Mitigation measures are recommended, however, while strategies for mitigation were easily identified, barriers to implementation are poorly understood. Finally, we point out knowledge gaps that if addressed would aid in the prediction and mitigation of ALAN impacts in the marine realm.
(a) Different marine environments not affected by Artificial Light Pollution at Night (ALAN), and (b) marine environments under the potential impacts of ALAN.
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Over the past 3 decades, the status of sea turtles and the need for their protection to aid population recovery have increasingly captured the interest of government agencies, non-governmental ...organisations (NGOs) and the general public worldwide. This interest has been matched by increased research attention, focusing on a wide variety of topics relating to sea turtle biology and ecology, together with the interrelations of sea turtles with the physical and natural environments. Although sea turtles have been better studied than most other marine fauna, management actions and their evaluation are often hindered by the lack of data on turtle biology, human-turtle interactions, turtle population status and threats. In an effort to inform effective sea turtle conservation a list of priority research questions was assembled based on the opinions of 35 sea turtle researchers from 13 nations working in fields related to turtle biology and/or conservation. The combined experience of the contributing researchers spanned the globe as well as many relevant disciplines involved in conservation research. An initial list of more than 200 questions gathered from respondents was condensed into 20 metaquestions and classified under 5 categories: reproductive biology, biogeography, population ecology, threats and conservation strategies.
The limestones of the Solnhofen area in southern Germany are one of the most important fossil Lagerstätten from the entire Mesozoic era, especially famous for the exquisitely preserved vertebrates. ...The turtles from the Solnhofen Limestone have been always of special interest because they include some of the best-preserved specimens from the Mesozoic. Here, we describe a new turtle specimen from the Torleite Formation (Kimmeridgian) of Painten and refer it to the thalassochelydian turtle Solnhofia parsonsi based on the presence of a unique combination of characters. The far majority of morphological differences from previously published specimens can be explained by ontogeny as the new specimen represents a larger, more ossified, and presumably older individual. Additionally, the specimen from Painten is the first described specimen of S. parsonsi preserving the largely complete and articulated limbs, the preservation of which indicates that the taxon did not possess stiffened paddles present in more pelagic marine turtles and is consistent with a previously inferred nearshore marine lifestyle. Contrary to previous inferences, we argue that taphonomic preservation of digits in articulated fossil turtles from laminated deposits cannot be used alone to infer marine or freshwater habitat. Finally, the new specimen from Painten is only the second, for which detailed information on its stratigraphic position and locality of origin are known.
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The limestones of the Solnhofen area in southern Germany are one of the most important fossil Lagerstätten from the entire Mesozoic era, especially famous for the exquisitely preserved vertebrates. ...The turtles from the Solnhofen Limestone have been always of special interest because they include some of the best-preserved specimens from the Mesozoic. Here, we describe a new turtle specimen from the Torleite Formation (Kimmeridgian) of Painten and refer it to the thalassochelydian turtle Solnhofia parsonsi based on the presence of a unique combination of characters. The far majority of morphological differences from previously published specimens can be explained by ontogeny as the new specimen represents a larger, more ossified, and presumably older individual. Additionally, the specimen from Painten is the first described specimen of S. parsonsi preserving the largely complete and articulated limbs, the preservation of which indicates that the taxon did not possess stiffened paddles present in more pelagic marine turtles and is consistent with a previously inferred nearshore marine lifestyle. Contrary to previous inferences, we argue that taphonomic preservation of digits in articulated fossil turtles from laminated deposits cannot be used alone to infer marine or freshwater habitat. Finally, the new specimen from Painten is only the second, for which detailed information on its stratigraphic position and locality of origin are known.
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Although sea turtles are well-studied charismatic marine species, little is known about the juvenile stage, especially the oceanic phase between hatching on their natal beaches and their adult lives. ...To collect data on these “lost years,” six juvenile green turtles were equipped with satellite tags, released from southwestern Dominica in the eastern Caribbean, and tracked for up to 3 months. Mapping turtle movement to ocean currents reveals that juvenile green turtles spent most of their travel time within the Caribbean Sea, passively riding the prevailing currents before actively directing themselves toward distant coastal waters. Half of the tagged turtles traveled to coastal foraging grounds off of Colombia and Venezuela, while one traveled north past Puerto Rico. These findings provide novel data for the movements of juvenile green turtles hatched in the Eastern Caribbean region.
Chronically debilitated loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) (DT) are characterized by emaciation, lethargy, and heavy barnacle coverage. Although histopathological findings associated with this ...condition have been reported, only limited data is available on health variables with clinical application. The objectives of this study were to 1) to compare morphometrics, clinicopathological variables, and immune functions of DTs to a group of apparently healthy loggerhead turtles to better understand the pathophysiology of the condition and 2) to assess health parameters in live debilitated turtles as they recovered during rehabilitation in order to identify potential prognostic indicators. We examined and sampled 43 DTs stranded from North Carolina to Florida for 47 health variables using standardized protocols to further characterize the condition. DTs were grouped into categories of severity of the condition, and those that survived were sampled at four time points through rehabilitation. All groups and time points were compared among DTs and to clinically healthy loggerhead turtles. Compared to healthy turtles, DTs had significantly lower body condition index, packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cell (WBC) count, lymphocytes, glucose (Glc), total protein, all protein fractions as determined by electrophoresis, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), Ca:P ratio, potassium (K), lymphocyte proliferation, and greater heterophil toxicity and left-shifting, uric acid (UA), aspartate aminotransferase, creatine kinase, lysozyme, and respiratory burst. From admission to recovery, hematology and plasma chemistry data improved as expected. The most informative prognostic indicators, as determined by correlations with a novel severity indicator (based on survival times), were plastron concavity, P, albumin, total solids, UA, lymphocyte proliferation, WBC, K, Glc, Ca:P, and PCV. The results of this study document the wide range and extent of morphometric and metabolic derangements in chronically debilitated turtles. Monitoring morphometrics and clinicopathological variables of these animals is essential for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis during rehabilitation.
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