Small-scale movements and site fidelity of two sympatric sea turtle species at a remote atoll

Understanding natural movement patterns and ecological roles of marine megafauna is a research priority best studied in areas with minimal human impact. The spatial distribution patterns specifically for immature turtles at foraging grounds have been highlighted as a research gap for effective manag...

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Published in:Marine biology Vol. 171; no. 4; p. 91
Main Authors: Sanchez, Cheryl L., Bunbury, Nancy, Mortimer, Jeanne A., A’Bear, Luke, Appoo, Jennifer, Betts, Michael, von Brandis, Rainer, Cook, Lorraine, van de Crommenacker, Janske, Currie, Jock C., Doak, Naomi, Fleischer-Dogley, Frauke, Mahoune, Terrence, Mederic, Emma, Mels, Bruno, Pistorius, Pierre, Richards, Heather, Samedi, Uzice, Casale, Paolo
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2024
Springer
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Accuracy
anthropogenic activities
Aquatic reptiles
Atolls
Avoidance
Avoidance behavior
Behavior
benthic ecosystems
Benthos
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Chelonia mydas
Distribution patterns
Environmental aspects
Eretmochelys imbricata
fauna
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Habitat selection
Habitats
Human impact
Human influences
Life Sciences
Marine & Freshwater Sciences
Marine biology
Marine ecology
mark-recapture studies
Megafauna
Microbiology
Oceanography
Original Paper
philopatry
Protection and preservation
Reptiles & amphibians
Sea turtles
Seychelles
Site fidelity
Spatial distribution
species
Sympatric populations
sympatry
Turtles
Zoology
Seychelles
Immature foraging ground
Capture–mark–recapture
Indian Ocean
Aldabra Atoll
ISSN:0025-3162, 1432-1793
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Understanding natural movement patterns and ecological roles of marine megafauna is a research priority best studied in areas with minimal human impact. The spatial distribution patterns specifically for immature turtles at foraging grounds have been highlighted as a research gap for effective management and conservation strategies for sea turtle populations. Capture–mark–recapture (CMR) records ( n  = 2287) of 1672 immature green ( Chelonia mydas ) ( n  = 1158) and hawksbill turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ) ( n  = 514) from a long-term (1981–2021) in-water CMR program at Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, were analyzed for 10 sites (0.35–25 km apart). Site fidelity was not correlated with either season or turtle size. Green turtles had lower site fidelity than hawksbill turtles. Green turtles showed avoidance (i.e., opposite of fidelity) of three sites, while hawksbill turtles displayed high fidelity to two sites. Sites displaying non-random behavior (avoidance and/or fidelity) did not share the same benthic habitat types. Results indicate that fidelity can be detected at a fine scale with CMR, but that further exploration into the habitat characteristics of the sites and the ecological roles of both species at the atoll is needed.
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ISSN:0025-3162
1432-1793
DOI:10.1007/s00227-024-04414-5