First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement
In the South Atlantic Ocean, few data exist regarding the dispersal of young oceanic sea turtles. We characterized the movements of laboratory-reared yearling loggerhead turtles from Brazilian rookeries using novel telemetry techniques, testing for differences in dispersal during different periods o...
Published in: | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 |
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 2024-09-15T18:36:28+00:00 First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement Mansfield, Katherine L. Mendilaharsu, Milagros L. Putman, Nathan F. dei Marcovaldi, Maria A. G. Sacco, Alexander E. Lopez, Gustave Pires, Thais Swimmer, Yonat National Academies Research Associateship Program Projeto TAMAR NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center University of Central Florida NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences volume 284, issue 1868, page 20171730 ISSN 0962-8452 1471-2954 journal-article 2017 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 2024-08-05T04:35:26Z In the South Atlantic Ocean, few data exist regarding the dispersal of young oceanic sea turtles. We characterized the movements of laboratory-reared yearling loggerhead turtles from Brazilian rookeries using novel telemetry techniques, testing for differences in dispersal during different periods of the sea turtle hatching season that correspond to seasonal changes in ocean currents. Oceanographic drifters deployed alongside satellite-tagged turtles allowed us to explore the mechanisms of dispersal (passive drift or active swimming). Early in the hatching season turtles transited south with strong southward currents. Late in the hatching season, when currents flowed in the opposite direction, turtles uniformly moved northwards across the Equator. However, the movement of individuals differed from what was predicted by surface currents alone. Swimming velocity inferred from track data and an ocean circulation model strongly suggest that turtles' swimming plays a role in maintaining their position within frontal zones seaward of the continental shelf. The long nesting season of adults and behaviour of post-hatchlings exposes young turtles to seasonally varying ocean conditions that lead some individuals further into the South Atlantic and others into the Northern Hemisphere. Such migratory route diversity may ultimately buffer the population against environmental changes or anthropologic threats, fostering population resiliency. Article in Journal/Newspaper South Atlantic Ocean The Royal Society Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284 1868 20171730 |
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The Royal Society |
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crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
In the South Atlantic Ocean, few data exist regarding the dispersal of young oceanic sea turtles. We characterized the movements of laboratory-reared yearling loggerhead turtles from Brazilian rookeries using novel telemetry techniques, testing for differences in dispersal during different periods of the sea turtle hatching season that correspond to seasonal changes in ocean currents. Oceanographic drifters deployed alongside satellite-tagged turtles allowed us to explore the mechanisms of dispersal (passive drift or active swimming). Early in the hatching season turtles transited south with strong southward currents. Late in the hatching season, when currents flowed in the opposite direction, turtles uniformly moved northwards across the Equator. However, the movement of individuals differed from what was predicted by surface currents alone. Swimming velocity inferred from track data and an ocean circulation model strongly suggest that turtles' swimming plays a role in maintaining their position within frontal zones seaward of the continental shelf. The long nesting season of adults and behaviour of post-hatchlings exposes young turtles to seasonally varying ocean conditions that lead some individuals further into the South Atlantic and others into the Northern Hemisphere. Such migratory route diversity may ultimately buffer the population against environmental changes or anthropologic threats, fostering population resiliency. |
author2 |
National Academies Research Associateship Program Projeto TAMAR NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center University of Central Florida NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mansfield, Katherine L. Mendilaharsu, Milagros L. Putman, Nathan F. dei Marcovaldi, Maria A. G. Sacco, Alexander E. Lopez, Gustave Pires, Thais Swimmer, Yonat |
spellingShingle |
Mansfield, Katherine L. Mendilaharsu, Milagros L. Putman, Nathan F. dei Marcovaldi, Maria A. G. Sacco, Alexander E. Lopez, Gustave Pires, Thais Swimmer, Yonat First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
author_facet |
Mansfield, Katherine L. Mendilaharsu, Milagros L. Putman, Nathan F. dei Marcovaldi, Maria A. G. Sacco, Alexander E. Lopez, Gustave Pires, Thais Swimmer, Yonat |
author_sort |
Mansfield, Katherine L. |
title |
First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
title_short |
First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
title_full |
First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
title_fullStr |
First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
title_full_unstemmed |
First satellite tracks of South Atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
title_sort |
first satellite tracks of south atlantic sea turtle ‘lost years’: seasonal variation in trans-equatorial movement |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 |
genre |
South Atlantic Ocean |
genre_facet |
South Atlantic Ocean |
op_source |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences volume 284, issue 1868, page 20171730 ISSN 0962-8452 1471-2954 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1730 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
container_volume |
284 |
container_issue |
1868 |
container_start_page |
20171730 |
_version_ |
1810480124919808000 |