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Journal article
Nesting ecology of East Pacific green turtles at Playa Cabuyal, Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica
Marine ecology (Berlin, West), v 36(3), pp 506-516
01 Sep 2015
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
East Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas), often referred to as black turtles, are smaller and exhibit a lower reproductive output than other populations of green turtles in the Atlantic, Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Knowledge of nesting ecology of East Pacific green turtles is limited to general descriptions. We conducted an exhaustive analysis of the nesting ecology of East Pacific green turtles at Playa Cabuyal, North Pacific Costa Rica. Compared with other populations of green turtles, East Pacific turtles exhibited smaller clutch sizes (mean +/- SD: 76.9 +/- 18.2 eggs per clutch), but the number of clutches (estimated clutch frequency (ECF): 4.3 +/- 2.3 clutches) fell within the upper limit reported for green turtles. Clutch size and seasonal reproductive output (409 +/- 135 eggs per female), but not ECF, increased with female size. The observed internesting period (OIP) between consecutive oviposition events (mean +/- SD: 15.4 +/- 2.9days) increased as the season progressed and was approximately 2days longer than the mean OIP reported for the species. Most clutches were laid in the upper vegetated part of beach (zone 3, 75%) and within this zone, tended to be located underneath trees (79%). Hatching success of clutches laid underneath trees was significantly higher (0.89 +/- 0.17) than that of clutches laid in the exposed areas of zone 3 (0.75 +/- 0.33). Mean duration of the nesting process (3:14h) was on average 45min longer than previously reported for the species. Frequency of false crawls was high (49% of nesting activities), and nesting success was low (54% of nesting attempts). Poaching of eggs, tourism and predation by dogs were important threats to this population. Conservation actions were being successfully implemented at the local level due to presence of beach patrollers, but official protection is needed for the preservation of the nesting population into the future.
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Details
- Title
- Nesting ecology of East Pacific green turtles at Playa Cabuyal, Gulf of Papagayo, Costa Rica
- Creators
- Pilar Santidrian Tomillo - IMEDEA CSIC UIB, Inst Mediterrani Estudis Avancats, Populat Ecol Grp, Esporles 07190, Mallorca, SpainSpencer A. Roberts - Drexel UniversityRicardo Hernandez - Universidad Nacional de Costa RicaJames R. Spotila - Drexel UniversityFrank V. Paladino - Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Publication Details
- Marine ecology (Berlin, West), v 36(3), pp 506-516
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 11
- Grant note
- Leatherback Trust Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship within the 7th European Community Framework Programme; European Commission
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- [Retired Faculty]
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000358729600021
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84937978116
- Other Identifier
- 991019169904004721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Marine & Freshwater Biology