Journal article
An oceanographic context for the foraging ecology of eastern Pacific leatherback turtles: Consequences of ENSO
Deep-sea research. Part I, Oceanographic research papers, v 55(5), pp 646-660
2008
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
We analyzed some of the primary biological and physical dynamics within the eastern Pacific leatherback turtle (
Dermochelys coriacea) migration area in relation to ENSO and leatherback nesting ecology at Parque Nacional Marino Las Baulas (PNMB), Costa Rica. We used data from remote sensing to calculate resource availability via a net primary production (NPP) model, and to analyze the physical dynamics of the migration area via sea surface temperature fronts. Within the migration area, NPP north of 15°S was highly governed by interannual variability as indicated by the Multivariate ENSO Index while south of 15°S, production had a more seasonal signal. Nesting peaks of leatherbacks at PNMB were associated with cool, highly productive La Niña events and with large-scale equatorial phytoplankton blooms encompassing 110°W that were induced by iron enrichment following the termination of El Niño events. Resource availability in the northern migration area (eastern equatorial Pacific) appeared to determine the nesting response for the population at PNMB, Costa Rica. We suggest that ENSO significantly influences the nesting ecology of leatherbacks at PNMB because the majority of the population consists of pelagic foragers that strictly rely on the eastern equatorial Pacific for prey consumption prior to the nesting season. Coastal foragers may be a minority in the population because of high mortality rates associated with coastal gillnet fisheries along Central and South America.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- An oceanographic context for the foraging ecology of eastern Pacific leatherback turtles: Consequences of ENSO
- Creators
- Vincent S Saba - Department of Fisheries Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Rt. 1208 Greate Road, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USAGeorge L Shillinger - Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USAAlan M Swithenbank - Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USABarbara A Block - Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USAJames R Spotila - Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USAJohn A Musick - Department of Fisheries Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Rt. 1208 Greate Road, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USAFrank V Paladino - Department of Biology, Indiana-Purdue University, 2101 East Coliseum Boulevard, Fort Wayne, IN 46805, USA
- Publication Details
- Deep-sea research. Part I, Oceanographic research papers, v 55(5), pp 646-660
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Science (BEES)
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000256853700004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-43049170462
- Other Identifier
- 991014878131704721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
InCites Highlights
Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:
- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Oceanography